ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Euthanasia

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Attorney-General what recent assessment he has made of the application of the Director of Public Prosecution's policy for prosecutors in respect of cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.

Edward Garnier: The Director of Public Prosecution's assisted suicide policy provides clear guidance to prosecutors as to how to apply the existing law on assisted suicide. The policy outlines the relevant evidential and public interest factors which must be considered when deciding whether to bring criminal proceedings for assisted suicide. It sets out considerations that may be particularly relevant when deciding whether a prosecution for assisted suicide is in the public interest, and complements those contained in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
	Since December 2008 all cases of assisted suicide have been dealt with by prosecutors in the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division in the CPS.

Immunity From Prosecution

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions he was consulted on decisions to grant immunity from prosecution to assisting offenders as defined in the provisions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 in each year since 2007.

Edward Garnier: The Attorney-General should be consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Director of the Serious Fraud Office or a prosecutor designated by them, before any decision is made on the granting of a full immunity under section 71 of the 2005 Act.
	No immunity can be granted under section 71 of the 2005 Act by a Chief or Deputy Prosecutor at BIS or the FSA unless the Attorney-General has given consent to the granting of the immunity in accordance with section 71 (6)(c).
	Information on the occasions where a Law Officer was consulted on such matters are not collated centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received on the operation of the provisions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 relating to the use of assisting offender evidence.

Edward Garnier: The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA) gave designated prosecutors powers in relation to offenders who are prepared to assist the Crown. The Law Officers meet with prosecutors on a regular basis to discuss their cases, including those where they might need to exercise their powers under SOCPA 2005.
	The policy responsibility for the operation of these provisions of the Act belongs with the Ministry of Justice.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 1W, on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether (a) he and (b) the Deputy Leader of the House met representatives of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority in January 2012.

George Young: The information is as follows:
	(a) Yes
	(b) No.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Information and Communications Technology

Thomas Docherty: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the House of Commons Commission has made of the number of hours that will be required to be worked by (a) Hardcat employees and (b) PICT staff to conduct the audit of IT on the Parliamentary Estate.

John Thurso: The estimated hours for conducting the current IT audit are 345 for Hardcat employees and 135 for PICT employees.

Information and Communications Technology

Thomas Docherty: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, on what date the audit of IT on the Parliamentary Estate (a) began and (b) is expected to be completed.

John Thurso: The audit began on 21 February and is due to be completed on 2 March. One day of preparatory work took place before 21 February.

Plants: Costs

Therese Coffey: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost of provision of indoor plants and trees is; and which organisations provide them.

John Thurso: The cost of hire and maintenance of trees in Portcullis House in each of the financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 was £32,500. Plantcare International provides this service.
	The cost of providing indoor plants including floral displays in the financial year 2010-11 was £36,900. In 2009-10 it was £41,300. The main suppliers of these services were Greenways and Nora Wool.
	All contracts are being re-examined as part of the savings programme as they come up for renewal. Significant savings are being sought on the contracts for the trees.

Recess: Operating Costs

John Spellar: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the additional cost to the House of Commons was of the difference in dates of the February recess between the two Houses for (a) security, (b) catering, (c) administration, (d) maintenance and engineering services and (e) other services.

John Thurso: No measurable cost to the House of Commons administration has arisen from the difference in dates of the February recess between the two Houses.

PRIME MINISTER

Aung San Suu Kyi

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with Aung San Suu Kyi on the situation in Burma.

David Cameron: I last spoke to Aung San Suu Kyi on 28 January to congratulate her on the incredible progress that had been made in Burma in recent weeks, and to seek her advice on how the international community should respond.
	She was optimistic about Burma's prospects and we share that optimism. We agreed on the need to make progress on ethnic conflicts, the release of the remaining political prisoners, and the holding of free and fair by-elections in April.
	We are concerned about reports of restrictions on campaigning in recent weeks, and urge the Government of Burma to do all they can to ensure that elections are indeed free, fair and credible.

WALES

Public Expenditure

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the transfer of funding from Wales to HM Treasury as a result of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy Scheme will be considered by the Commission on Devolution in Wales.

Cheryl Gillan: Discussions are ongoing between the Government and the Welsh Government on Housing Revenue Account Subsidy arrangements for Wales. Any changes to the current arrangements would not require further devolution of functions, and therefore I would not expect the Commission on Devolution in Wales to consider this.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband: Brighton

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 791W, on broadband: Brighton and Hove, if he will (a) estimate the amount of public funding required to bring ultra-fast broadband to the Brighton and Hove area and (b) carry out a cost-benefit analysis of funding ultra-fast broadband in Brighton and Hove.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not intend to make estimates of the amount of public funding required to bring ultra-fast broadband to any local authority area. Local authorities are best placed to assess their options for improving high-speed broadband access, in consultation with commercial communications providers. This is the approach adopted in the Super-Connected Cities Initiative by cities eligible to bid for the Urban Broadband Fund.
	As the hon. Member may already be aware, East Sussex has an indicative funding of £10.64 million allocated out of the £530 million to bring superfast broadband to 90% of the population and standard broadband to everyone else.
	Brighton and Hove is to be congratulated on achieving a broadband take-up of 80%, according to Ofcom data published last summer, with superfast broadband coverage of 92%.

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent progress his Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

John Penrose: This Department has played a central role in the Red Tape Challenge, leading the Hospitality Food and Drink theme in partnership with other departments including, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office and the Department for Health. We will cut red tape in 62 of the 102 regulations which were looked at as part of this theme; 12 will be abolished, with a further 50 to be merged or simplified.

National Railway Museum

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of the photographic material held by the National Railway Museum is indexed and available to the public; what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to work with external partners on the task of indexing the collection.

Edward Vaizey: The National Railway Museums is a branch of National Museum of Science and Industry, which operates at arm's length from Government. This Department does not collate information on the collections and has not taken steps to work with external partners on the task of indexing them for availability to the public. I have asked their chief executive to write to my hon. Friend directly on this matter. A copy of the letter will be placed in both House Libraries.

Olympic Games 2012: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many sports clubs in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Bexley have received funding for Olympic legacy projects.

Hugh Robertson: Since April 2007, Sport England has invested a total of £5,169,593 of Lottery funding and £38,000 of Exchequer funding into the borough of Bexley. This includes funding for projects from the mass participation Olympic Legacy fund, Places People Play such as the Europa Centre in Crayford, the Bexley Cricket Club and Danson Park Bowls Consortium Ltd.
	These figures do not reflect the large amount of funding channelled through County Sports Partnerships, local authorities and National Governing Bodies of Sport, where initiatives that have a county or region-wide remit may have assisted or benefited constituents and local sports clubs.

Public Libraries

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his strategy is for the future of the (a) library service and (b) standards and framework to support local delivery of library services.

Edward Vaizey: Arts Council England (ACE) has been given responsibility to advocate for and champion libraries' roles and the public value they provide. ACE will capture and disseminate good practice in making efficiencies and meeting the needs of communities. Where appropriate, libraries will be eligible for ACE strategic investment funding.
	ACE will be leading a debate and research in 2012-13 on how libraries can respond to changing community needs and wider changes in society.
	ACE's role on library development is one of providing advice and support. ACE has also launched the Libraries Development Initiative which has made grants totalling £230,000 to 13 library projects to help them explore ACE's vision of arts and culture working together.
	ACE will shortly be writing to local authorities to make them aware of different ACE funding streams which can now be accessed by libraries.
	We do not propose to reintroduce the ‘public library service standards'. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 gave local government greater flexibility in priority setting and greater discretion over how to meet them—the public library service standards were just 10 of over 1,000 indicators which authorities were no longer required to report performance against.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative.

Gregory Barker: DECC signed up to the 10:10 campaign in November 2009, making a commitment to reduce our carbon emissions by 10% in 2010 compared to 2009. Under the new Government, we actually achieved more than double this—with a saving of 20.59% or 547 tonnes of CO2.

Fuel Poverty

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households in the (a) private rented, (b) social and (c) owner-occupied sector in (i) England, (ii) Tameside and (iii) Stockport were classed as being in fuel poverty in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: The breakdown by tenure for 2009, the latest year for which figures are available, is shown in the following table. This level of detail is available only at country level.
	
		
			  (a) Private rented (b) social (c) Owner-occupied 
			 Number of households in fuel poverty 693,000 762,000 2,509,000 
			 Percentage of households in fuel poverty 21 21 17 
		
	
	In Tameside in 2009, approximately 19,400 or 21% of households were in fuel poverty. In Stockport, approximately 22,300 or 18% of households were in fuel poverty.

Green Deal Scheme

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of (a) option 1, (b) option 2 and (c) option 3 of his Department's consultation document on levels of employment in the insulation industry, The Green Deal and Energy Change Obligation Consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Under the central policy scenario for the Green Deal, option 2 in the consultation, our analysis indicates that the insulation sector would support 65,000 jobs in 2015, a marked increase from current levels of c.27,000. Specific analysis of employment levels has not been carried out for the other options outlined in the consultation however broadly speaking employment levels would follow the levels of expected delivery of insulation measures.

Green Deal Scheme

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the quantity of carbon dioxide which would no longer be emitted with the introduction of the Green Deal in option 2 of his Department's consultation, The Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: Under the central policy scenario for the Green Deal, option 2 in the consultation, the total CO2 savings over the lifetime of the installed measures was estimated at 114 MtCO2 and 53 MtCO2 for non-traded and traded savings respectively.
	These figures and the analysis behind them were published in the Draft Impact Assessment accompanying the recent Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) consultation:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/green-deal/3603-green-deal-eco-ia.pdf
	We are working with stakeholders to improve the data on which the Impact Assessment was based and updated analysis will be published in the summer.
	Note:
	Traded carbon emissions are those covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Insulation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of fully-trained solid wall insulation installers in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not hold employment figures for the solid wall industry as a whole.
	However, based on discussions with industry representatives, DECC estimates that by 2015 there could be between 8,000 and 10,000 competent solid wall installers operating under the Green Deal and Energy Company obligation. This is an increase from approximately 2,000 skilled operatives in 2011-12.

Insulation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Green Deal and Energy Change Obligation Consultation, what recent estimate he has made of the number of cavity and loft installers who will need to retrain as solid wall installers to meet the targets set out in the consultation document; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not have the responsibility for determining how many loft and cavity wall insulation installers will re-train as this is a matter for the market and the individuals concerned. However, discussions with industry representatives suggest that there are over 2,500 cavity wall and loft installers currently operating. Our analysis indicates that the insulation sector would support 65,000 jobs in 2015, a marked increase from current levels of c.27,000.

Insulation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the cost of re-training individuals in the insulation industry in fitting solid wall insulation; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: DECC is working with the Green Deal Skills Alliance, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and industry representatives on the most cost-effective routes to training and up-skilling of existing operatives and new entrants.
	Detailed announcements will be made on this shortly.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much generation capacity from renewable energy sources was installed in each year between 1997 and 2011.

Gregory Barker: The following table shows the change in generation capacity from renewable sources in each year between 1997 and 2010. Similar data for 2011 will be available in July 2012 when the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) is published. This table shows the change in capacity and includes capacity from new generators, increases to the capacity of existing generators, reductions in capacity of existing generators and closures.
	
		
			  Change in capacity compared to previous year (MW) 
			 1997 121 
			 1998 172 
			 1999 157 
			 2000 234 
			 2001 131 
			 2002 54 
			 2003 319 
			 2004 313 
			 2005 762 
			 2006 498 
			 2007 670 
			 2008 1,101 
			 2009 1,227 
			 2010 1,172

Renewable Energy: Technology

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has taken to encourage the development of early-stage renewable technologies.

Gregory Barker: The 2010 spending review allocated over £200 million to support low carbon technologies, of which up to £60 million was included to support the establishment of offshore wind manufacturing at port sites. In June 2011, the Department announced up to £20 million—subject to value for money assessments—to support the pre-commercial demonstration of marine array devices, and in July 2011 announced the allocation of up to £30 million for offshore wind technology development.
	This funding for renewable technologies is part of a wider package of support which the Department is working on with other members of the Low Carbon Innovation Group(1).
	The aim is to ensure that there is strategic alignment of public funding for the sector to maximise the benefits each funding stream generates.
	The Renewables Obligation (RO) is another way that we support emerging technologies such as offshore wind and marine energy. Proposals in the recent consultation reviewing support levels reiterated our commitment to these technologies.
	Non-financial support has also been put in place. For example, I chair the Marine Energy Programme Board which brings together technology developers, industrial manufacturers and the public sector to discuss accelerating the deployment of marine energy in the UK.
	I also recently launched the UK's first Marine Energy Park in South West England which aims to create a collaborative partnership between national and local government, local enterprise partnerships, the regional universities and industry, including Cornwall's Wave Hub, thereby driving forward marine energy projects. Other areas are now working towards becoming a Marine Energy Park, for example Caithness and Orkney and Northern Ireland.
	(1 )Includes Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Energy Technologies Institute, Technology Strategy Board, Carbon Trust, Research Councils UK.

Renewables Obligation

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of increases in the Renewable Obligation charges on energy intensive industry from April 2012.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 29 February 2012
	DECC estimates that in 2012-13 the Renewables Obligation (RO) will add 6% to the electricity bill of an average energy intensive user (compared to what the bill would be in the same year in the absence of policies). This compares to 5% in 2011-12, and is an increase of 1 percentage point.
	In 2011 there was an increase of around 30% in wholesale electricity costs (which make up around 70-80% of the bill of an average energy intensive user), and this was driven by rising gas prices. This shows the importance of our action to increase the UK's renewable capacity in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel imports, and take us off the gas price hook. The RO and its successor scheme, Feed-in Tariffs with Contracts for Difference, aim to do this in the most cost-effective way possible for consumers.

Salix: Energy Supply

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many applications for support from Salix loans for energy efficiency have been (a) submitted, (b) accepted and (c) rejected;
	(2)  how many organisations have received a Salix loan for energy efficiency; and what the amount of each such loan is.

Gregory Barker: Since the start of the Salix public sector energy efficiency loan scheme in 2004 a total of around 1,112 applications (from 776 organisations) across the UK have been submitted for loan funding. Of these around 1,016 have been accepted, supporting around 8,400 individual projects. The remaining 96 were rejected as they did not meet the scheme criteria. The average loan awarded to the 680 successful organisations has been £262,000.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Disability: Crime

Aidan Burley: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to reduce disability hate crime.

Nick Herbert: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	No one should fear abuse for who they are, and tackling hate crime against disabled people is an issue that this Government take very seriously. We are improving the recording of such crimes, and working with the voluntary partners to encourage more victims to come forward. We will publish the Government's new action plan on hate crime shortly.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what the cost to the public purse was of the Equality and Human Rights Commission document entitled Human rights at home; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa May: Since the Equality and Human Rights Commission is an arm's length body, the following is based on information it has provided.
	The cost of this report, excluding staff costs, was £14,964.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Anniversaries

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the (a) Northern Ireland Executive and (b) Irish Government on the decade of commemoration;
	(2)  what progress he has made on talks to plan for the decade of commemoration; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I regularly meet the First and Deputy First Minister and Irish Government to discuss relevant issues including the forthcoming decade of key anniversaries. The latest discussions with the First and Deputy First Minister were on the 27 February, and on 2 February with the Irish Government. The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), will continue his discussions in the coming weeks with individuals and groups involved in planning events.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: Since May 2010, eight senior civil servants left the Northern Ireland Office and its public bodies. Of these, three retired; two returned to their parent organisation as their period of secondment/loan to the NIO came to an end; two began secondments with other organisations and will return in due course; and one left at the end of a fixed term contract. The monthly breakdown is as follows:
	May 2010: One retired; One went on loan to another Government Department;
	June 2010: One left at the end of their fixed term contract;
	June 2011: One went on loan to another Government Department;
	September 2011: One left at the end of their secondment;
	October 2011: One left at the end of their loan;
	November 2011: One retired;
	December 2011: One retired.
	In 2010, there were 13 senior civil servants in the NIO; the rate of turnover at that time would be calculated at 23%. In 2011, there were 11 senior civil servants in the NIO; the rate of turnover at that time would be calculated at 45%.
	The names of the individuals concerned have not been released for reasons of personal privacy.

Economic Situation

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress the Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy has made.

Owen Paterson: The Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy will meet for the second time on 7 March, in line with the work programme we agreed at our first meeting in December, officials have been working intensively. They have made good progress on issues surrounding the potential devolution of corporation tax, including the potential costs, benefits, legislative options and time scales involved.

Organised Crime

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on the operation of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.

Owen Paterson: I have not had any discussions with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on the operation of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. Matters relating to the operation of this Act in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the devolved Administration. The Northern Ireland Justice Minister and his Department work closely with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), and her Department on such matters.

Politics and Government

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made with bilateral talks following his letter to the party leaders in Northern Ireland asking for discussions on how to deal with the past.

Owen Paterson: Since May 2010, the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), and I have undertaken a wide range of meetings involving political parties, community organisations, academics and victims groups on this matter.
	I have recently held further meetings with representatives of some of the Northern Ireland parties and will meet with others shortly. I continue to seek their views on how consensus on this difficult issue can be achieved. While the Government have a role to play, any successful outcome will only be possible if agreement is found from within Northern Ireland.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds his Department plans to allocate to support agricultural research and development in Africa in the 2010-12 Parliament.

Alan Duncan: The UK Government have allocated approximately £91 million to support agricultural research and development in Africa in the 2010-12 Parliament.

Brussels

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) the Permanent Secretary in his Department have visited Brussels in an official capacity since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: Since May 2010 I have made three visits to Brussels; the Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr Duncan), has made one visit; the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien) has made three visits; and the Permanent Secretary, Mark Lowcock, has made two visits.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to help reduce delays in the availability of low-cost versions of new treatments for HIV in the developing world.

Stephen O'Brien: In 'Towards zero infections: the UK's position paper on HIV in the developing world' published in May 2011 the UK Government outline our aim to reduce the costs of diagnosis and treatment. The UK is supporting UNITAID and the Clinton Health Access Initiative to work with originator and generic companies to negotiate sustainable reductions in drug prices, and to lower the unit costs of drug production. Our work with the Clinton Foundation to drive down treatment costs will generate enough cost-savings to purchase medicines for an additional 500,000 people by 2015.
	UNITAID, with our financial support, is also achieving significant results in this field. For example they have supported the introduction of nine new priority HIV medicines which are now available for purchase through the World Health Organisation Prequalification programme; and there has been a 53% price reduction from 2008 to 2010 for a quality second line treatment regimen, and there are over 113,000 adults living with HIV who are now receiving quality second line medicines at these lower prices.

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of meetings of the Board of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have been attended by a UK Minister since May 2010; how many such meetings (a) he and (b) other Ministers plan to attend in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: Neither UK Development Ministers nor Ministers from other donor countries attend board meetings unless there is an extraordinary reason to do so. Ministers have not attended the Global Fund board meetings since May 2010 and there are no current plans to attend in 2012-13. A Department for International Development Official represents the UK/Australia on the board of directors and keeps Ministers fully abreast of the policy and governance issues. The chair of the Global Fund board is also a senior UK DFID official.

Somalia

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received on women's rights in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: I received letters from non-government organisations and MPs highlighting the importance of women's rights in Somalia in the run up to the London Conference on Somalia. I also discussed these issues during my recent visit to Somalia.
	The Government recognise the serious human rights violations that women face in Somalia and we are committed to helping to address them. The London Conference on Somalia communiqué recognises the importance of women's participation in the political process and calls for action to address the human rights violations and abuses faced by women and children.
	Equality and protection of women lies at the heart of our development programme in Somalia. We support women's inclusion in policy dialogue through our civil society funding; we have helped establish the first women's unit at the Attorney-General's Office in Somaliland; and our health support has seen a doubling of births attended by skilled birth attendants in Gedo region.

World Bank

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to propose a British candidate as next head of the World Bank, in succession to Robert Zoellick; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: Britain supports an open, merit-based and transparent selection process for the next World Bank president.
	At present, there are no credible British candidates to nominate but I would actively consider one if they were to emerge before the end of the nominations process on 23 March.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Algeria

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to support the parliamentary elections in Algeria in May 2012.

Alistair Burt: We welcome the decision by Algerian authorities to invite election observers to supervise the parliamentary elections on 10 May. We are encouraged by the number of organisations and non-governmental organisations which have expressed an interest in participating and hope that a diverse range of domestic and international observers will be able to take part.
	The Algerian Government have invited the EU to monitor elections and the UK supports this initiative. As in previous Algerian elections, we expect polling stations to be set up around the UK to enable UK-based Algerian nationals to take part.

Burkina Faso

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many electoral observers from the UK will be present during the parliamentary elections in Burkina Faso in May 2012.

Henry Bellingham: There is no UK mission in Burkina Faso. However, we plan to send our non-resident ambassador, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, and our ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire to observe the parliamentary elections, which we understand have been delayed until November. They will be part of an informal election observation team along with other EU Heads of Mission based in Ouagadougou.

Burkina Faso

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to support the parliamentary elections in Burkina Faso in May 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The British Government, along with our international partners, support the democratic process in Burkina Faso and are committed to peace, security and stability across the whole of West Africa. There are no plans for the EU to send either an official observation or technical mission to monitor the Burkinabe elections, which we understand have been delayed until November.
	While there are no plans for Britain to provide financial support to the electoral process, our non-resident ambassador to Burkina Faso, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, and our ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire will, together with local EU Heads of Mission in Ouagadougou, form an informal observer team. We believe the African Union may be sending a formal observer mission to cover the elections.

Christianity

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken on discrimination against Christians abroad.

Jeremy Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to the right hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Mr Alexander) on 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 365W.

Conflict Resolution

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 757W, on conflict prevention, when he expects to publish the updated National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

Henry Bellingham: The Revised UK Government National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 Women, Peace and Security was published on 28 February and a copy placed in the Library of both houses.

Conflict Resolution

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 757W, on conflict prevention, to how many diplomatic posts in his Department's overseas network the Women, Peace and Security toolkit has been distributed; and what assessment he has made of the utility of the toolkit.

Henry Bellingham: The Women, Peace and Security Toolkit has been distributed to all Departments in London. The toolkit is aimed at helping Posts develop country based activity on women, peace and security issues.
	The toolkit highlights practical work that can be done on this issue across our worldwide network. At six pages, it is very accessible, and includes guidance to post on prevention, participation and protection issues, as well as further information on access to resources and cross Government training. Civil society organisations have contributed to the development of the toolkit.
	We have had good responses from Posts to the toolkit, for example, the UK Delegation in Vienna to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), proposed the use of the Toolkit as an example of best practice at a recent OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation. Stakeholder feedback will be taken into account before the toolkit is updated later this year.

Departmental Recruitment

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to encourage people leaving the armed forces to apply for positions in his Department.

Henry Bellingham: In line with the Government-wide recruitment freeze, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is only recruiting externally for a limited number of business-critical positions. The FCO has no plans specifically to encourage people leaving the armed forces to apply for these positions. All external recruitment into the FCO is based on merit, and all campaigns must be fair and open, in accordance with Civil Service Commission principles. Our recruitment policies and processes are designed to encourage applications from the widest possible range of backgrounds, including former armed forces personnel.

Dogs: Meat

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage countries engaging in the trade and consumption of dog meat to cease such activities.

Jeremy Browne: I continue to raise UK concerns over animal welfare with countries engaged in the trade and consumption of dog meat. I have raised this with the Governments of China and the Philippines. Our ambassador in Seoul also recently raised our concerns with the South Korean Government. They are aware of our view on this particular issue. However, in the absence of international norms, laws or agreements governing the trade and consumption of dog meat, the UK has no legal grounds to intervene or take trade measures against countries where consumption of dog meat is regarded as culturally acceptable. We also welcome the work that non-governmental organisations such as Animal Asia Foundation, International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals undertake in Asian countries.

East Africa

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to use the Conflict Pool to fund peace and stabilisation activities in eastern Africa in the next three years.

Henry Bellingham: Conflict Pool allocations over the next three years have not yet been approved by the National Security Council. Once approved, Parliament will be informed through a written ministerial statement from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), and the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). In light of the British Government's tri-departmental Building Stability Overseas Strategy, the Conflict Pool is moving towards multi-year funding to provide greater certainty for conflict prevention priorities. In the financial year 2011-12, the Conflict Pool funded nearly £27 million of activities in eastern Africa. Over the next three years in eastern Africa, our planned Conflict Pool activity is likely to fall into the following broad areas.
	A key focus will be reducing violent conflict and instability within Somalia and on its borders, in pursuit of HMG's wider security (counter-terrorism and maritime security) and development objectives. Similarly, within Sudan and South Sudan, to reduce violent conflict and instability in both countries and to support the British Government's regional security and development objectives.
	We will also support Kenya, in the run-up to, during, and after the elections in 2012, and in the longer-term—so it is increasingly able to address national and regional security concerns. We will also support Ethiopia's relative stability to be increasingly sustainable.

Egypt

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to protect Christians in Egypt from persecution; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The British Government continue to emphasise to the Egyptian Government the importance of protecting religious freedom and minorities, establishing the conditions for pluralist and non-sectarian politics, and enshrining the freedom of religion for all faiths in the new constitution and in law.
	In response to sectarian violence in Egypt, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), issued a statement on 10 October. He also called the Egyptian Foreign Minister to raise our concerns and discuss the action that the Egyptian Government was taking to address sectarian tension, and maintain law and order while respecting minority rights. The Deputy Prime Minister also raised the issue with the Egyptian Prime Minister during his visit to Egypt on 20 October. The British embassy in Cairo maintains an open communication channel with representatives of the Coptic Church and arranged for the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee to meet a representative of the Church during the Committee's visit to Egypt in February.

Somalia

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had on inviting representatives from Somali civil society to the London conference on Somalia on 23 February 2012.

Henry Bellingham: The objective of the London Conference on Somalia was to re-energise the international community's approach to Somalia. As such, it was attended by representatives of Governments or international organisations active and influential on Somalia.
	However, we were active in consulting civil society and the Somali Diaspora in the weeks before the conference. I hosted a seminar for academics and non government organisations on Somalia on 2 February, and on 9 February I met community leaders at the Finsbury Park Mosque. On 8 February, Chatham House hosted an event for Somali leaders and Somalia experts attended by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and on 20 February the Prime Minister met representatives of the Somali Diaspora at 10 Downing street. On the eve of the conference, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs hosted a reception for the Somalia Diaspora at Lancaster House, the same venue that played host to the Conference itself the next day.

Somalia

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) men and (b) women were members of the Somali delegations to the London conference on Somalia on 23 February 2012.

Henry Bellingham: A total of eight Somali delegations attended the London Conference on 23 February. These delegations consisted of 29 men and one woman.

Somalia

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the rights of women in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office receives regular reports on the parlous state of women's rights in Somalia. Somalia is widely regarded as being one of the worst places in the world to be a woman, not only because they are widely excluded from politics, or because of the continued practice of female genital mutilation, but because maternity health care is very limited, meaning that many women die needlessly in childbirth. The humanitarian crisis caused by last year's drought in the Horn of Africa has increased the vulnerability of women to sexual violence by predatory armed groups.
	In the run up to the London Conference on Somalia, I personally met a number of women activists to hear their views. The conference communiqué called for women's inclusion in the political process, and for action to address the grave human rights violations suffered by women in particular. We stand ready to work with the Transitional Federal Government and other Somali partners to implement these commitments.

Syria

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Syrian government, (b) the United Nations and (c) the rest of the international community about allowing humanitarian organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, access to Syria; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), attended the 'Friends of Syria' meeting in Tunis on 24 February, where more than 70 countries discussed humanitarian access. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs supported the call by the Friends of Syria for the Syrian Government to immediately cease all violence and to allow free and unimpeded access by the UN and humanitarian agencies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
	Discussions on access for Humanitarian organizations into Syria are being led by the UN. Baroness Amos, as head of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and Humanitarian Envoy to Syria is currently in the region working on plans to facilitate the movement of humanitarian assistance. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has been in regular contact with Baroness Amos and the ICRC and the Department for International Development is participating in the UN-led Syria Humanitarian Forum to ensure the UK is providing all necessary support in line with the assessed needs in the country.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Romford of 23 February 2012, Official Report, columns 943-4W, on the Turks and Caicos Islands, what the cost to the Government was of the Turks and Caicos Coastal Radar System; and from which departmental budget that expenditure came.

Henry Bellingham: The majority of the costs of the coastal radar station have been funded by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, including the building, tower and radar equipment.
	In order to ensure that the radar station can become operational as soon as possible, and so that it can play a role in assisting the Marine Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force to operate more effectively, the FCO agreed to fund the cost (£207,672) of the replacement items of electronic equipment which includes installation, testing and training.

Western Sahara

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the application of the Geneva Conventions to the conflict between Western Sahara and Morocco.

Alistair Burt: We do not consider there to be an armed conflict within the meaning of the Geneva Conventions. Since 1991, there has been a UN monitored ceasefire in Western Sahara, a disputed territory whose status we regard as undetermined. At present, the territory is under the de facto administration of Morocco. The UK is fully supportive of the continuing UN process to provide a mutually acceptable political solution for the parties to ongoing negotiations which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
	The UK supported the adoption of UNSCR 1979 which stressed the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western Sahara. We regularly raise the issue of human rights with the Moroccan authorities.

Western Sahara

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the Moroccan Ambassador progress on a referendum on independence from or integration with Morocco in Western Sahara.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has no plans to discuss progress on a referendum on the status of Western Sahara with the Moroccan ambassador. However, Ministers in this Government and our ambassador in Rabat have established a strong dialogue on the issue of Western Sahara with the Moroccan authorities.
	This Government strongly support UN-led efforts to encourage Morocco and the Polisario Front to agree a long lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Western Sahara

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the establishment of a UN Council for Natural Resources in Western Sahara.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has no plans to support the establishment of a UN Council for Natural Resources in Western Sahara. However, we are aware that Morocco and the Polisario Front have discussed issues relating to natural resources as part of the negotiation process. We would look to support proposals resulting from those discussions.
	Morocco, as the de facto administering power of Western Sahara, is obliged to ensure full compatibility with international law with regards to any agreements concerning the natural resources of the disputed territory.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Air Travel

David Crausby: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times he has taken flights within the UK on official business since August 2010; what class of travel he used; and who accompanied him on each such flight.

Nicholas Clegg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 772W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Action for Employment Contracts

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what contracts with his Department and its agencies A4e (a) is bidding for and (b) has been awarded but have not yet commenced either independently or in partnership with other companies.

Chris Grayling: This information is commercially sensitive and not available as it would prejudice negotiations.

Charities

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in the Cabinet Office have had with charities on the sharing of information between organisations which support people on benefits.

Chris Grayling: DWP shares information about its benefits and services with charitable organisations that support benefit claimants through our advisers and intermediaries website, our monthly stakeholder bulletin, and our monthly Touchbase e-zine. In addition, we speak with a number of the main national organisations that support our claimants, as part of our ongoing dialogue that supports operational delivery.

Children: Day Care

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support towards childcare costs is available for those working fewer than 16 hours per week from the Flexible Support Fund; whether it is time-limited; and what the conditions for entitlement are.

Chris Grayling: Lone parents in receipt of a qualifying benefit, such as income support (full list in footnote), are eligible to apply for support from the Flexible Support Fund towards the cost of child care, at a maximum of £87.50 per week for one child and a maximum of £150 per week for two or more children.
	This subsidy is paid for a maximum period of 52 weeks from when the customer first starts work. No further funding is generally provided after that. To be considered for a child care subsidy the parent must be moving into employment or self employment.
	The job must be:
	undertaken on the recommendation of the adviser as an agreed step on their action plan for return to the labour market;
	for up to 16 hours;
	waged employment or self employment i.e. not voluntary work or work experience
	be expected to last at least five weeks and be based in the UK (subject to UK employment legislation and taxation).
	Note:
	Attendance allowance
	Bereavement benefits
	Widowed parent's allowance
	Widowed mother's allowance
	Bereavement allowance
	Widow's pension
	Carer's allowance
	Child tax credit
	Disability living allowance
	Employment and support allowance
	Housing benefit/council tax benefit
	Incapacity benefit (or invalidity benefit if claim prior to 1995)
	Income support
	Industrial injuries disablement benefit
	Jobseeker's allowance
	Maternity allowance
	Pension credit
	Retirement pension
	Severe disablement allowance
	War disablement pension; and/or
	War widows/widower's pension

Children: Maintenance

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the contribution by the Minister for Disabled People of 1 February 2012, Official Report, column 916, what estimate he has made of how the £200 million that the Minister for Disabled People has stated will be saved as a result of his Department's proposals to charge parents with care and non-resident parents for use of the statutory maintenance service will arise in terms of (a) the cost savings per annum in the current spending review period and the following one, (b) cost savings per annum attributable to fewer parents with care choosing to use the statutory system, (c) cost savings per annum as a result of more non-resident parents choosing maintenance direct arrangements and (d) annual revenue raised as a result of charging (i) parents with care and (ii) non-resident parents to use the statutory service.

Maria Miller: Based on assumptions about charges and the behaviour of both parents with care and non-resident parents, a total of £234 million in savings are projected by 2014-15 compared to the 2010-11 baseline. This estimate comprises the following:
	£12 million from fewer parents choosing to use the statutory service;
	£71 million from charging—around a third of which is assumed to come from the parent with care;
	£4 million from non-resident parents choosing maintenance direct arrangements;
	£147 million from efficiencies, including those from CMEC becoming part of DWP not a non-departmental public body.
	Further details will follow in the impact assessments which will accompany the charging regulations.

Employment and Support Allowance

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the benefits of allowing Jobcentre Plus advisers to contribute to the assessment of people in receipt of employment and support allowance.

Chris Grayling: Information provided by personal advisers working for Jobcentre Plus is not specifically sought as part of the work capability assessment evidence gathering process. The role of the personal adviser is to support an individual to move towards employment, not to make an assessment of benefit entitlement.
	However, DWP decision-makers have to consider all the available information before making a decision on benefit entitlement. Any evidence available, including that provided by claimants and advisers, is both very important and fully considered.

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the reasons for the difference in the projected and actual number of referrals to mandatory work activity; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Statistics released on 15 February 2012 showed that between May and November 2011, there were 24,010 initial referrals to the mandatory work activity scheme. The Department has not set out an expectation for the number of referrals to the scheme. On 10 May 2011, the Minister for Welfare Reform (Lord Freud) set out to the House of Lords that the Department had funding for around 19,000 mandatory work activity places per year, Official Report, House of Lords, column 863. However, this figure refers to the number of places available for claimants to start on the scheme, not the number of referrals expected to be made, and so is not comparable to the figures released on 15 February 2012.
	Not every claimant referred to mandatory work activity starts on the scheme. This can be for a variety of reasons; for example, they may cease to claim jobseeker's allowance before the start of their placement, their circumstances may change, or they may remain on jobseeker's allowance and fail to start a placement. Where a claimant fails to participate in mandatory work activity without good cause, this results in the sanction of jobseeker's allowance for three months. This rises to six months for a second breach.
	We have not released statistics on the number of claimants who have started an MWA placement. We are currently considering what further information might be provided for future statistical releases.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people aged between (a) 16 and 18 and (b) 18 and 25 years have undertaken Get Britain Working work experience in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Edinburgh since January 2011.

Chris Grayling: Official statistics for the work experience strand of the Get Britain Working measures, up to and including November 2011, were published on 15 February 2012.
	Between January and November 2011 in Great Britain, there were 32,200 starts to a Get Britain Working work experience placement. Of these 32,200:
	in Great Britain, 50 were aged 16 or 17 and 31,540 were between 18 and 25;
	in Scotland, 10 were aged 16 or 17 and 2,280 were aged between 18 and 25;
	in the City of Edinburgh local authority, less than 10 were aged 16 or 17 and 140 were aged between 18 and 25.
	Source
	Data Source: DWP LMS opportunities evaluation database February 2012. Due to Data Protection protocols, values less than 10 are not revealed to avoid unnecessary disclosure and any figures above 10 are rounded to the nearest 10.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many young people aged between (a) 16 and 18 and (b) 18 and 25 years who undertook Get Britain Working work experience have obtained permanent employment with the employer with which they undertook that work experience in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Edinburgh since January 2011;
	(2)  how many young people aged between (a) 16 and 18 and (b) 18 and 25 years who undertook Get Britain Working work experience have obtained permanent employment with an employer other than that with which they undertook work experience in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Edinburgh since January 2011.

Chris Grayling: The Department does not hold information on the number of young people who participated in work experience and obtained permanent employment broken down by whether their employer was one with which they undertook their placement or not.
	The available statistics on work experience participant outcomes were published on 9 November 2011. These showed that 51% of those who started on the programme in January-March 2011 were not in receipt of benefit 13 weeks later.

Housing Benefit: Private Rented Housing

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of tenants in the private rented sector who are in receipt of housing benefit.

Steve Webb: Accurate estimates of the proportion of tenants in the private rented sector who are in receipt of housing benefit are not available. For instance the 2009-10 Family Resources Survey (FRS) reported that 25% of households in the private rented sector were in receipt of housing benefit(1). This is an underestimate owing to under-reporting of benefit receipt.
	Our more recent estimate derived from combining the FRS and administrative data is that around one-third of households in the private rented sector are in receipt of housing benefit. There remains considerable uncertainty around this estimate. This estimate used the number of claims to housing benefit from the Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) expressed as a proportion of the number of benefit units renting in the private rented sector from the FRS, excluding from the number of benefit units non-dependants in the same household with no rental liability. These non-dependants would not be present in the SHBE data.
	Benefit units were used because households can include a number of people not related who share the living accommodation, one or more of whom might have a separate claim to housing benefit.
	(1) Table 3.5:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/2009_10/frs_2009_10_report.pdf
	Notes:
	1. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems.
	2. Benefit unit is defined as a single adult or couple living as married and any dependent children.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had on the support available for people not in receipt of jobseeker's allowance but looking for employment.

Chris Grayling: Working or non-benefit customers can still access light touch support through Jobcentre Plus, for example using the Jobseekers Direct service to search online for jobs and volunteering opportunities. Providing this free job brokerage service helps to maintain a healthy and dynamic labour market by providing vacancy information to a wide range of people.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the words “Where you are providing support for JSA participants, which is work experience, you must mandate participants to this activity. This is to avoid the National Minimum Wage Regulations, which will apply if JSA participants are not mandated” have been removed from paragraph 14, chapter 3 of the Work Programme Provider Guidance.

Chris Grayling: All the Department's guidance is constantly reviewed.

Social Security Benefits: Industrial Diseases

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claims under the Diffuse Mesothelioma scheme were paid within (a) six weeks, (b) three months and (c) six months in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information as requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Industrial Diseases

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid in compensation under the Diffuse Mesothelioma scheme, broken down by (a) year and (b) region; how many payments were made in each (i) year and (ii) region; and what the average payment was in each case.

Steve Webb: The information is in the table:
	
		
			  Total payments made (£) Number of payments Average award (£) 
			 2008-09 5,500,000 360 15,520 
			 2009-10 6,900,000 490 13,890 
			 2010-11 9,300,000 500 18,490 
			 2011-12 6,800,000 360 18,600 
			 Notes: 1. Regional data is not available. 2. Awards were first made from October 2008. 2011-12 is latest available data: payments to and including December 2011. 3. Total payments have been rounded to nearest £100,000; number of payments have been rounded to nearest 10; and average awards have been rounded to nearest £10. Source: DWP statistical and accounting data.

Universal Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress he has made on introducing the universal credit.

Chris Grayling: We are making good progress towards the delivery of universal credit in 2013. Design work is well under way, and is being continually tested with staff and claimants.
	Subject to the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill, development of the necessary IT systems will continue in parallel with planning for implementation and migration.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are presently waiting longer than 13 weeks to undergo a work capability assessment since completing the ESA 50 questionnaire.

Chris Grayling: There are currently 37,909 ESA initial referrals open and awaiting an assessment that are in excess of 13 weeks from the date that the questionnaire was returned.
	However, Atos Healthcare and the Department are negotiating a realignment plan to ensure the increases in outstanding referrals are cleared as soon as possible and additional practitioners are being recruited and trained to address this.

Work Programme: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, column 889W, on work programme: Scotland, which organisations were used by the JHP Group when delivering mandatory work placements in Scotland in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012.

Chris Grayling: The Department does not hold details of organisations which have provided mandatory work placements for the JHP Group. Furthermore, we cannot provide details of these organisations. The information requested could potentially damage the commercial interests of organisations offering work placements and impact on the ability of the Department to obtain services to help people make the transition into work.

EDUCATION

Schools: Finance

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students (a) in care, (b) leaving care and (c) on income support have accessed the Bursary Fund since its inception.

Nick Gibb: This data is not currently available. Provided the necessary regulations are put in place, data collection will be in place during the academic years 2012-13 and 2013-14 although it will only show the total number of vulnerable group bursaries and not a breakdown of the categories.

TREASURY

Customs: Cross Border Cooperation

Dominic Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the EU Council Act of 18 December 1997 drawing up the Convention on mutual assistance and co-operation between customs administrations, on how many occasions since 1998 (a) pursuing officers from another EU member state have continued their pursuit into UK territory without prior authorisation under Article 20 of the Convention, (b) customs officers from another EU member state have conducted covert investigations on UK territory under Article 23 of the Convention and (c) UK authorities have participated in joint special investigation teams under Article 24 of the Convention.

David Gauke: HMRC records show the number of occasions as follows:
	(a)—nil
	(b)—nil
	(c)—nil

Departmental Manpower

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department spend at least 75 per cent. of their time assisting financial mutuals and co-operatives; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: In line with the Government's wider transparency agenda the Treasury's organisation chart is published at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/hmt_orgchart.pdf
	The Government are committed to promoting mutuals and fostering diversity within financial services. Responsibility for financial mutuals and co-operatives lies in the Financial Services group.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether registered Equitable Life policyholders will receive details of the calculation used to decide the level of compensation they are awarded.

Mark Hoban: All policyholders receiving a payment from the Equitable Life Payment Scheme receive a statement setting out how their payment was calculated.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether pre-September 1992 Equitable Life annuitants will receive compensation; and what proportion of the (a) caseload and (b) expenditure of compensation is represented by people in this group.

Mark Hoban: Pre-September 1992 annuitants are not eligible for the Scheme, and therefore no assessment of the caseload or expenditure has been made.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of progress towards meeting the objective of targeting the oldest policyholders in the Equitable Life Scheme; and what proportion of the (a) caseload and (b) expenditure of compensation is represented by over 75 year-olds.

Mark Hoban: The Scheme has recently published a progress report on its website:
	http://equitablelifepaymentscheme.independent.gov.uk/faq/question71.htm
	setting out the progress it has made to date. The report published by the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments suggests that there are c.37,000 non With-Profits Annuitants over 75, who are due payments of £107million.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of registered Equitable Life policyholders will receive compensation of £500 or less.

Mark Hoban: The Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments suggested that around 238,000 non With-Profits Annuitants will receive a payment of £500 or less from the Scheme.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 2 February 2012 sent to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and transferred to his Department, on the transparency of criteria used in establishing conveyancing panels of solicitors and licensed conveyancers.

Mark Hoban: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Moody's Investors Service

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report, column 840W, on Moody's Investors Service, other than the requirement to submit a draft ratings assessment to his Department in advance of publication, what communications took place between his Department and Moody's Investors Service on (a) 12, (b) 13 and (c) 14 February 2012; who was involved in those communications; and what their purpose was;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) draft ratings assessments submitted by Moody's Investors Services to his Department in advance of formal publication of its assessment on 14 February 2012 and (b) communications that his Department submitted to the agency in response to those draft assessments.

Mark Hoban: Consistent with the requirements of European legislation (No 1060/2009 of 16 September 2009), Moody's Investors Services informed Treasury officials on 13 February 2012 of their intention to announce a change in the outlook of the UK sovereign rating and. shared a draft press release in confidence in order for the Treasury to draw attention to any factual errors contained within that release.
	The Moody's press release is available on their website. Credit rating agencies have ultimate editorial control over the form and content of all their publications. Consistent with practice under previous Administrations, it would be inappropriate to release information shared in draft and would constitute a breach of confidence that would be detrimental to future relations with the organisation sharing that information.

Revenue and Customs: Finance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission an independent review of his decision to reduce spending at HM Revenue and Customs during this Parliament.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs' settlement for this spending review period is in line with spending reductions agreed with other Departments. However, recognising its important role in reducing the deficit, HMRC's settlement reinvests over £900 million of savings. This investment will allow HMRC to better tackle evasion, criminal attacks, unpaid tax debt and avoidance and bring in additional revenues of £7 billion a year by 2014-15.

JUSTICE

Action for Employment

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what contracts with his Department and its agencies A4e (a) is bidding for and (b) has been awarded but have not yet commenced either independently or in partnership with other companies.

Kenneth Clarke: A4e are bidding for:
	Community Payback Services as part of a joint venture with MITIE, called ComPACT.
	A4e have been awarded framework agreements (zero value) for:
	Probation Trust Payment By Results Pilot schemes;
	Public Sector Prison Payment By Results Pilot schemes;
	Innovation Payment By Results Pilot schemes.

Compensation: Industrial Diseases

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average duration was of a civil compensation claim case brought by a person with mesothelioma in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average claim was.

Jonathan Djanogly: Personal injury cases, while logged onto the administrative computer systems used in the county courts, cannot be distinguished from other types of cases brought for an unspecified amount of money. Exact identification of personal injury cases and whether compensation is being sought for mesothelioma would require the inspection of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

Compensation: Industrial Diseases

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made in speeding up civil compensation claims for people with mesothelioma.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government have implemented several changes in recent years to improve the processing of compensation claims in mesothelioma cases. In addition the Government continue to work with the insurance industry which recently introduced an Employers' Liability Tracing Office (ELTO), which will maintain a comprehensive electronic database of all new and renewed EL policies, old EL policies that have a new claim made against them, and all successful traces.

Compensation: Industrial Diseases

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Jarrow of 27 July 2010, Official Report, column 915W, on mesothelioma: compensation, if he will publish the advice received.

Jonathan Djanogly: The advice referred to in my previous answer was internal policy advice from officials which it would not be appropriate to publish.

Departmental Contracts

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department applies a fit and proper persons test in (a) awarding and (b) maintaining existing contracts; and what its policy is on the assessment of fit and proper persons in relation to such contracts.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice uses the government standard Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) to determine the suitability of a company or individual to deliver services to the Department. The PQQ includes questions about the appropriateness of companies and individuals providing a service and covers areas including criminal convictions, fraudulent activity and bankruptcy. These questions can lead to automatic exclusion from further participation in the procurement competition. Our policy is to ensure these checks are undertaken before a contract is awarded. Follow up checks are not routinely undertaken during the contract period.

Departmental Pay

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible are paid (i) £100,000 and (ii) £142,500 or more per annum.

Kenneth Clarke: The information is as follows:
	(a) As of 30 September 2011, there are 40 officials within the Ministry of Justice and its agencies (including the National Offender Management Service and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service) earning £100,000 or more per annum and 10 officials earning £142,500 or more per annum (full-time equivalent).
	(b) As of 30 September 2011, there are 14 officials within the Ministry of Justice's non-departmental public bodies earning £100,000 or more per annum and four officials earning £142,500 or more per annum (full-time equivalent).

Employment Tribunals Service

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many costs awards were made by employment tribunals against (a) claimants and (b) respondent employers in each quarter of 2011-12 to date, by the sum awarded;
	(2)  how many deposit orders were made by employment tribunals in each quarter of 2011-12 to date.

Jonathan Djanogly: In employment tribunals, applications/orders for costs (in Scotland, expenses) can be made at any time during the proceedings, for example where a party has brought or conducted proceedings in a manner that is vexatious, abusive, disruptive or otherwise unreasonable or misconceived.
	Statistical data is collated on costs awards made and this information is published annually in the Employment Tribunals Annual Statistics, which are freely available online:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/tribunals/employment-tribunal-and-eat-statistics-gb.htm
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not report quarterly on costs awards made. However, using preliminary administrative data available, the following tables set out a breakdown of the costs awards made in employment tribunals, respectively, in each of the first two quarters of 2011-12. Information on the third or fourth quarters is not yet available.
	
		
			 Table 1: Costs awarded in quarter 1 April to June 2011 
			 Costs No. of cases awarded to claimant No. of cases awarded to respondent Costs No. cases awarded to claimant No. of cases awarded to respondent 
			 < £200 1 5 £6,001-£8,000 1 7 
			 £201-£400 2 10 £8001-£10,000 1 9 
			 £401-£600 3 17 £10,000+ 0 0 
			 £601-£800 2 4 All 36 101 
			 £801-£1,000 6 4 — — — 
			 £1,001-£2,000 10 14 Maximum award — £10,000 
			 £2,001-£4,000 6 16 Median award — £1,800 
			 £4,001-£6,000 4 15 Average award — £2,852 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Costs awarded in quarter 2 July to September 2011 
			 Costs No. of cases awarded to claimant No. of cases awarded to respondent Costs No. cases awarded to claimant No. of cases awarded to respondent 
			 < £200 1 6 £6,001-£8,000 3 6 
			 £201-£400 1 11 £8001-£10,000 4 7 
			 £401-£600 7 25 £10,000+ 2 3 
			 £601-£800 1 7 All 28 146 
			 £801-£1,000 0 19 — — — 
			 £1,001-£2,000 6 16 Maximum award — £36,466 
			 £2,001-£4,000 1 31 Median award — £1,383 
			 £4,001-£6,000 2 15 Average award — £3,227 
			 Notes: 1. There are five cases with cost awards over £10,000, four of them are subject to final determination at a County Court. One of the cases has costs awarded against two respondents totalling approx. £12,000. All judgments are available at the Public Registry in Bury St Edmunds. 2. This data includes costs awards, but does not include awards/orders made covering preparation time or wasted costs. Caveats: These data are management information, and as such subject to change. Only minimal data cleansing has been performed on this data. HMCTS does not normally publish quarterly cost data, so the figures are provisional, with final figures to be collated and validated on an annual basis and published in the ET Annual report. 
		
	
	Where a claim or response—or any part thereof—in an employment tribunal is deemed by an Employment Judge to have “little reasonable prospect of success”, the judge may make an order requiring the relevant party to pay a deposit as a condition of being permitted to continue to take part in the proceedings relating to that matter.
	Based on administrative data that are collated centrally, there were 410 deposit orders made in the calendar year 2011. Information by quarter is not currently available in this format. To provide that information, a report would have to be commissioned centrally, exported separately into each employment tribunal office and collated centrally once data was extracted. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment Tribunals Service

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many employment tribunal cases were struck out in each year since 2004.

Jonathan Djanogly: An employment tribunal claim or case can be made on a number of different grounds, known as jurisdictional complaints. Any claim (or indeed any response to a claim) can be struck out in whole or in part during a pre-hearing review, so long as the relevant criteria are satisfied. A strike out is also possible without the need for a hearing where there has been non-compliance with an order of the tribunal, again so long as the relevant criteria are satisfied.
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service publishes data on employment tribunal receipts and disposals annually and quarterly. These data include a breakdown of how many jurisdictional complaints (as opposed to claims/cases) were disposed of during the relevant period; and the manner of that disposal (for example, whether/how the complaint was determined at a final hearing, conciliated by ACAS, withdrawn or otherwise).
	Using that publicly available data, the following table shows the total number of jurisdictional complaints disposed of during the financial years 2004-05 to 2010-11 and for the first two quarters of 2011-12 (rounded). It also shows the number of complaints that were dismissed at a pre-hearing review (which includes being struck out), and the number that were struck out otherwise than at a hearing.
	
		
			 Total number of jurisdictional complaints disposed of 2004-05—first two quarters 2011-12 
			  2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Total jurisdictional complaints disposed of 147,000 160,600 176,400 157,500 172,900 227,000 244,000 111,700 
			 Jurisdictional complaints dismissed at a preliminary hearing(1) 2,100 2,500 2,900 3,800 3,400 4,600 5,000 2,500 
		
	
	
		
			 Jurisdictional complaints struck out not at a hearing(2) 10,500 16,200 37,800 17,600 12,000 20,100 25,500 16,300 
			 (1) ‘Jurisdictional complaints dismissed at a preliminary hearing’ are complaints dismissed (including struck out) at a pre-hearing review. For 2004-05 and 2005-06 these cases were recorded as “dismissed at hearing (out of scope). (2) Jurisdictional complaints struck out not at a hearing will include complaints struck out because of non-compliance with an order of the tribunal. For 2004-05 and 2005-06 these cases were recorded as “disposed of otherwise”. 
		
	
	Equivalent information on claims/cases (as opposed to jurisdictional complaints) is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Data on the proportion claims/cases that were struck out at a pre-hearing review, and those that were otherwise dismissed, are not collated centrally and would similarly be available only at disproportional cost.
	The Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal Annual Statistics Reports contain (at Table 2) details of the outcome of jurisdictional complaints and can be found online:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/tribunals/employment-tribunal-and-eat-statistics-gb

Legal Profession: Fees and Charges

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had on further regulation of the no-win no-fee insurance sector.

Jonathan Djanogly: A fundamental reform of no win no fee conditional fee agreements is being taken forward in part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill. This includes provisions to abolish recoverability of success fees and after the event (ATE) insurance premiums from the losing side. It also contains provisions to ban the payment and receipt of referral fees in personal injury cases.
	My officials and I have had a number of discussions with stakeholders, representing both claimants and defendants, about various aspects of the reforms and how the insurance market might respond. These discussions will continue as we finalise the detail of the proposals in time for implementation in April 2013.

Magistrates: Payments

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction of the mileage allowance for magistrates working in rural areas.

Jonathan Djanogly: There has been no reduction to the mileage allowance for magistrates and therefore no assessment made on the rural impact of such a reduction.

Witnesses: Payments

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to (a) review the allowances for expert witnesses and (b) reduce the discretion court administrators can exercise over such allowances.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) who are responsible for the administration of the legal aid scheme, do not contract with or pay expert witnesses directly. They are instructed and paid by legal aid solicitors. Following the consultation “Proposals for the Reform of Legal Aid in England and Wales” new rates for expert witness services in legal aid cases came into force on 3 October 2011 via two Funding Orders for civil and criminal work. The rates apply to all legal aid cases where certificates are issued on or after that date. The new rates were based on the LSC's benchmark rates, subject to a 10% reduction in line with similar changes made to solicitors' rates.
	At the present time, the Government have no plans to reconsider any of the new rates. In the longer term, the Government intend to proceed to putting in place a more detailed and prescriptive scheme of fixed and graduated fees for experts.
	Expert witnesses who attend court in criminal cases are entitled to an allowance from central funds. There are no plans to change the guideline rates or to reduce the discretion court staff exercise when assessing claims.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Hares

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to provide the same level of protection to hares in England during the breeding season that they receive in Scotland.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has asked the Law Commission to review wildlife legislation. The review will cover issues such as whether or not Ministers should be given powers to make close seasons for animals such as hares. Meanwhile, I am writing to organisations whose members are likely to control hares, to encourage them to draw up best practice guidance for minimising welfare impacts during necessary control, including consideration of a voluntary close season.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to test the carcasses of culled badgers for bovine tuberculosis.

James Paice: We do not propose to check whether the badgers are infected with TB. We already have evidence on the typical prevalence of TB in badgers in areas of high TB incidence from the randomised badger culling trial.

Dangerous Dogs

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will review her policy on dangerous dogs and consider the merits of a dog registration system that includes a cost differential for neutered and un-neutered dogs.

James Paice: I am pleased to say that we are close to finalising a package of measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners. We are considering the benefits of compulsory microchipping of dogs along with requiring the details of non-prohibited dogs to be held on a central database. We will be announcing these measures very shortly. Under existing laws, all prohibited dogs that the courts allow their owners to keep must be neutered and registered on a national database.

Dogs

Jane Ellison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent representations her Department has received on (a) stray dogs, (b) dangerous dogs and (c) responsible dog ownership;
	(2)  what recent discussions she has had with representatives of local authorities on dog control issues;
	(3)  what recent discussions she has had with the Greater London authority on dog control issues.

James Paice: DEFRA takes the issue of irresponsible ownership of dogs very seriously and we have made it a priority to deal with the issue. DEFRA has received numerous representations from MPs, peers, stakeholders and individual members of the public on this issue. DEFRA Ministers and officials have met with a range of key stakeholders with an interest in irresponsible dog ownership, including representatives from local authorities and the Greater London Authority.

Dogs: Electric Shock Equipment

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how soon after the publication of the research into electric dog collars an announcement on her Department's policy on the use of such collars will be made.

James Paice: The findings of the research into the effects of electronic training devices on dogs are not due to be published until the spring. It is not possible to say at this stage when an announcement will be made, as we do not yet know what the research's analysis will conclude.

Livestock: Waste Disposal

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance to regulate the disposal of carcasses infected with BSE (a) was in place in 1996 and (b) is in place.

James Paice: In 1996, the statutory options for disposal of carcases infected with BSE were rendering, incineration or burial. At the time, the Government's policy for disposing of BSE suspects was by incineration wherever possible. When burial was permitted it should have complied with the then applicable Codes of Good Agricultural Practice in order to protect the water, soil and air.
	The current legal requirements are set down in EU Regulation 1069/2009 and require BSE infected carcases, as category 1 material, to be disposed in an approved incinerator, either directly or following processing by pressure rendering.

Livestock: Waste Disposal

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that prions from previous disposals of carcasses infected with or believed to be infected with BSE are not released into (a) the environment and (b) upwind of or near residential areas.

James Paice: It was Government policy to dispose of BSE suspects by incineration wherever possible. When burial was permitted it should have complied with the then applicable Codes of Good Agricultural Practice in order to protect the water, soil and air.
	The former Scientific Steering Committee (later succeeded by the European Food Safety Authority) which was set up by the European Commission to cover consumer health and food safety issues provided the following scientific opinion which was adopted at its meeting on 24-25 June 1999:
	“For animals and materials that carry an actual or suspected TSE risk, incineration or burning after previous rendering at least “133°C/20Y3 bars” (or validated equivalent) are considered to be the safest ways of disposal”.

Nature Conservation

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to prevent species loss in (a) the UK, (b) Europe and (c) the rest of the world; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Our wildlife strategy for England, Biodiversity 2020, which we published last August, highlighted species recovery as a priority area. I am responding for England as this is a devolved matter.
	We support the European Biodiversity Strategy, and internationally the UK's Darwin Initiative is widely admired and has contributed over £80 million on 729 biodiversity projects in 155 countries since 1992. We intend to announce a further round of successful projects shortly.

DEFENCE

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each such contract. [Official Report, 24 April 2012, Vol. 543, c. 5MC.]

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence does not have any contracts with A4e.

Afghanistan: Armed Forces

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current operations allowance is for members of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan; and whether an enhanced operational allowance will continue to be paid to all those serving on future operations in that country.

Andrew Robathan: The aim of the operational allowance is to recognise the significantly increased and enduring nature of the danger in specified operational locations. Our armed forces are currently deployed to the most demanding areas of conflict. It is right that they receive allowances, such as the tax free operational allowance, for the day-to-day demands of a deployment in Afghanistan.
	The current single rate of the operational allowance, doubled by the coalition Government in May 2010, is £29.02 per day tax free. This equates to £5,280 for a typical six month tour of duty. While we keep the locations for which the operational allowance is payable under constant review we have no current plans to change it for personnel in Afghanistan.

Air Training Corps: Expenditure

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on non-core activities by the Air Training Corps in each region in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Air Cadet Organisation activities are funded through a combination of public and non-public, self-generated funding.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 774W, on armed forces: mental health services, how often the four working groups examining joint working with the US on rehabilitation practices have met since they were established.

Andrew Robathan: Since being set up in October 2011, the four working groups have conducted most of their business by a combination of teleconferences and email. Formal meetings have taken place as follows:
	Working Group 1 (Transition from Military to Civilian Life) has held four teleconferences.
	Working Group 2 (Mental Health) has held four teleconferences.
	Working Group 3 ("Wounded Warrior" Rehabilitation) has held two teleconferences.
	Working Group 4 (Military Family Support) has held one teleconference.
	Between meetings, working group members have also corresponded regularly by telephone and e-mail.

Armed Forces: Pay

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence further to the letter to the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe of 11 January 2012, when the review into irregularities in pay of service personnel will be concluded; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 28 February 2012
	The review into the inadequate application of Qualification Point (QP) Bars for Navy Personnel, which resulted in overpayments being made, is ongoing. This is a complex matter and Ministry of Defence officials are working to resolve it as soon as practically possible.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has developed online resources to improve psychological (a) testing and (b) training in the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence uses a variety of methods for providing briefing and instruction on mental health issues, including paper-based questionnaires and face-to-face assessment and instruction, as well as online resources where these are appropriate and available. As improved online systems are developed, we will consider making increased use of them when assessed to be the most suitable means of provision.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which universities his Department is working with to improve psychological testing and training in the armed forces.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a close working relationship with King's College London, primarily through the King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR), which is the leading civilian UK centre of excellence for military health research. The MOD's own Academic Centre for Defence Mental Health (ACDMH) is also based at King's College, and works closely with KCMHR on a range of research aimed at understanding and improving the mental health of the UK armed forces. This currently includes a major study, funded by the US Department of Defence, of a possible mental health screening tool using UK armed forces personnel returning from operations.

Armed Forces: Retirement

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long on average a service leaver spends with a resettlement adviser on the conclusion of his or her service.

Andrew Robathan: Resettlement advice is provided through a number of sources including resettlement information staff, service resettlement advisors and career consultants within the auspices of the Career Transition Partnership. While the majority of contact will be generated by the service leaver, the resettlement process starts with a mandatory resettlement brief no earlier than two years before leaving. This will be followed up by a one-to-one interview, approximately six months prior to discharge.
	As each service leaver is provided with tailored resettlement support to meet individual needs it is not possible to estimate the average amount of time they will spend with a resettlement adviser but this is likely to be several days over an extended period.

Army: Training

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the development of the role of the British Army training unit in Kenya.

Andrew Robathan: The British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) delivers high quality, light role, Infantry training, together with a limited amount of protected mobility training, in an appropriately challenging environment which is relevant to current and future operations. There are no plans to change this role.

Chinook Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of progress made by Project Julius; and whether the project is on time;
	(2)  when the Project Julius avionic upgrade for the Chinook helicopters will receive its release to service;
	(3)  when project Julius-upgraded Chinooks will be deployed to Afghanistan.

Peter Luff: Julius introduces a digital “glass” cockpit and new crewman’s workstation across our current fleet of Chinook helicopters that provide the core heavy-life element of the UK rotary wing fleet. These modifications will allow pilots to determine what flight and tactical information is displayed to them at any given time, improving the ergonomics of the cockpit. Modified aircraft completed numerous developmental test flights during 2011. These were largely successful but some technical issues were identified, which is not unusual during such activities. The Ministry of Defence and industry have an established plan to resolve these issues and deliver the aircraft to service shortly. Once introduced into service, their use and deployment will be determined by prevailing military needs and priorities.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I am able to advise that 50 senior civil servants left the Ministry of Defence during the period May 2010 to December 2011. This figure includes those that have retired, resigned, died in service or left on voluntary early release terms. The figure does not include individuals who have been permanently transferred to other Government Departments or who have transferred on temporary loan. Details are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2010  
			 May 1 
			 June 0 
			 July 2 
			 August 1 
			 September 2 
			 October 2 
			 November 4 
			 December 1 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 2 
			 February 0 
			 March 5 
			 April 1 
			 May 0 
			 June 0 
			 July 9 
			 August 7 
			 September 4 
			 October 4 
			 November 1 
			 December 4 
		
	
	For reasons of personal privacy, it would not be appropriate to provide the names of senior civil servants who are no longer in Government employment.
	The turnover of senior civil servants during the period May 2010 to December 2011 is assessed as 19.42%.

Large Goods Vehicles

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many (a) 7.5 tonne, (b) 17 tonne and (c) 44 tonne trucks there were at MOD Bicester in each year since 2005;
	(2)  on what date the TMS computer system was adopted as a normal business practice by his Department.

Peter Luff: holding answer 29 February 2012
	Information on the number of 7.5 tonne 17 tonne and 44 tonne vehicles operating from Logistic Service Bicester in each year since 2005 is not held.
	The Transport Management System (TMS) is a vehicle management system currently being introduced into a number of DE&S sites that operate vehicle fleets. Sites that are already using TMS include Logistic Services Bicester and Logistic Services Donnington. It is planned that TMS will achieve full operational capability by 31 December 2012.

Military Decorations

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what timetable he has set for the reconstituted Medal Review; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 599, to my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Caroline Dinenage).

Ministry of Defence Police: Gosport

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions to the budget of the Ministry of Defence Police on Gosport and its surrounding area.

Andrew Robathan: Possible options to adjust our future requirement for Ministry of Defence Police services and capabilities are still under consideration.

Veterans

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research his Department has (a) evaluated and (b) funded on helping returning veterans to successfully reassimilate into society.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) remains committed to ensuring that service leavers transition to civilian life is made as smooth as possible, and is open to the evidence presented by the many different strands of research that is available. For example, we have consulted the CHAIN (Combined Homelessness and Information Network) survey, funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government, which has collected data from the London homeless population over the last three financial years and the Howard League's Independent Inquiry into Former Armed Service Personnel in Prison. In addition, independent research has been undertaken by the King's Centre for Military Health Research looking at the incidence rate of post traumatic stress disorder for the UK armed forces.
	Service leavers who are entitled to use the Career Transition Partnership's (CTP) suite of resettlement services are surveyed at six months and 12 months after leaving the armed forces in order that we can understand their post-discharge circumstances. In addition, in 2011, the Ministry of Defence in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs undertook research of early service leavers (ESL), those who left the armed forces having served less than four years and therefore were not entitled to CTP resettlement provision. This subsequently led the MOD to consult with industry to establish industry trials of resettlement provision for ESL. The trials began in early 2012 and will run for 12 months.

Veterans

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the proportion of returning veterans who were (a) divorced, (b) alcohol dependent, (c) drug dependent, (d) homeless and (e) self harming in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The great majority of service personnel make a smooth transition to civilian life, and there is no requirement for the Ministry of Defence to hold detailed information on them. However, we recognise that the move from service to civilian life can be difficult for some personnel. As a result we hold some information on those who have left the armed forces and have approached us in need of our help. The Veterans Welfare Service is able to provide a range of support to vulnerable service leavers and to all war pensioners and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme recipients and their families for as long as they need it.
	We also work closely with other Government Departments such as the Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government to provide support and treatment when it is required. The Government support research into the circumstances of veterans in order to ensure that policies are effectively targeted.

Veterans: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department gives to returning veterans to improve their financial management skills.

Andrew Robathan: We are well aware of the importance of ensuring that the service community are aware of all the financial support and advice that is available to them and a wide range of services are provided. All service leavers are entitled to some form of resettlement advice, regardless of rank and length of service. This advice includes financial aspects of resettlement briefings, to which spouses and partners are also invited, covering budget and debt management. Some 70 briefings are delivered across the UK and overseas each year. Included in the brief is advice on managing pension schemes and the charity-led ‘Benefits and Money Advice’ service. Early service leavers, before they leave, are also briefed on the many types of state, charitable and ex-services support which exists for them. Service personnel are also signposted to the Financial Services Authority's ‘Money Made Clear’ website.
	In addition, veterans who receive significant sums of money through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are provided with generic advice at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court to provide them with a better understanding of basic personal financial issues. We are also working with the White Ensign Association and service charities to establish methods of improving access to independent financial advice for all service personnel. Standard Life Charitable Trust and the Royal British Legion are in the process of setting up a web-based training and education programme for personnel on money issues which is expected to be in full operation this summer.

Veterans: Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on monitoring the health and well-being of returning veterans in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Robathan: In 2003, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) commissioned research into the health of military personnel deployed to Iraq. In 2006, the study was extended for a further three years and broadened to include all subsequent Iraq deployments as well as deployments to Afghanistan. This research programme now follows a cohort of over 20,000 serving and former members of the armed forces. Earlier this year the study was extended for a further three years to maintain the database and further explore the data obtained in phases 1 and 2.
	MOD funding to the King's Centre for Military Health Research to conduct the Health and Wellbeing Survey since 2003 and going forward is as follows (exclusive of VAT):
	
		
			 Contract period Funding (£) 
			 May 2003 to May 2006 2,585,000 
			 September 2006 to January 2010 2,310,000 
			 February 2010 to January 2013 1,260,000

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business: Government Assistance

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish data on the regional take-up of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) publishes a regional breakdown of Enterprise Finance Guarantee lending figures on a quarterly basis on the BIS website. This is available from the following link:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/enterprise-and-business-support/access-to-finance/enterprise-finance-guarantee/efg-statistics

Consumers: Protection

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the proposed remit of the Financial Conduct Authority, whether the Office of Fair Trading will retain responsibility for the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme.

Norman Lamb: The Government plan to publish their response to the consultation on the reform of consumer institutions, including the future of the Consumer Code Approvals Scheme, in March this year.

Consumers: Protection

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many full-time equivalent staff work on consumer protection issues for 75 per cent. or more of their working time in (a) his Department and (b) the Office of Fair Trading; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The consumer and competition policy part of the Department has responsibility for consumer protection issues. There are 49 members of staff that are working it that area. No records are kept as to how much time individual staff members spend working on particular activities.
	The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is organised on a matrix basis, with delivery groups undertaking a broad range of different types of work, and its cost centres do not directly correspond to its functions. It does not record how much it spends each year on particular functions such as consumer protection, nor how much time individual staff spent working on particular functions.

Departmental Internet

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what public services his Department delivers online only.

Norman Lamb: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills provides the Queens Awards application and Export Control licensing services online only.

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress his Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the challenge.

Mark Prisk: To date, of over 1,200 regulations considered so far under Red Tape Challenge, we have agreed to scrap or substantially overhaul well over 50%. BIS has announced deregulatory plans for the retail, manufacturing and employment-related law themes.
	The 123 Red Tape Challenge reforms made, or about to be made, so far across all departments are set out in the Government's latest Statement of New Regulation published on 28 February 2012. Many further changes will be, announced and implemented in the coming months.

Food: Research

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much he plans to spend on research on global food security in the next five years.

David Willetts: holding answer 28 February 2012
	As stated in the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Delivery Plan 2011-2015, the total anticipated Research Councils' investment on Global Food Security over the spending review period is £450 million. The breakdown of this figure is given in the following table. No data are available for funding beyond the current comprehensive spending review (CSR) period which ends in March 2015.
	
		
			 Research Councils' contribution to the Global Food Security programme 
			  £ million 
			 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council 416 
			 Economic and Social Research Council 8.1 
			 Medical Research Council 10 
			 Natural Environment Research Council 15 
			 Total 450

Green Investment Bank

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to attract private sector capital from (a) pension funds and (b) other investors to invest in the Green Investment Bank.

Mark Prisk: Designed to address the long-standing problem of under-investment in the green economy, a key element of the remit of the Green Investment Bank will be to mobilise additional private sector capital, including from pension funds and other investors, in the financing of green projects. We are not seeking private sector investment in the Green Investment Bank itself, which will be capitalised by the Government with £3 billion over the spending review period.

Imports: Safety

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of (a) the quantity of faulty or unsafe goods entering the UK (i) in total and (ii) through (A) Felixstowe, (B) Heathrow, (C) Gatwick and (D) Dover and (b) of the extent to which such goods have contributed to (1) injuries, (2) deaths, (3) fires and (4) consumer or business detriment in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: This Department does not maintain data on the quantities of faulty or unsafe goods entering the UK. Nor does it collect data on the effects of those goods. However, research carried out for the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) in 2009 estimated that the impact on the UK's consumers, public services and businesses of unsafe and incorrect goods was £155 million each year.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Enforcement at Ports Pilot Project that stemmed from the 2009 Consumer White Paper has made a significant contribution to understanding the issue, and has been considered as part of the Government's consultation on reforming the consumer landscape. The Government plan to publish their response, in March this year.

Intellectual Property: Animation

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of the intellectual property owned by the UK animation industry.

Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr Vaizey), on 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 42W.
	Sponsorship responsibility for the animation industry rests with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has made no estimate of the value of animation, but animation activity is included in estimates of output of creative industries made by DCMS, and in the software investment estimates published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) as part of National Accounts. These show that the creative industries contribute 2.89% of gross value added (GVA) in the UK in 2009 and during that period the contribution made by software and computer services was approximately £960 million.

Lifelong Education

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to announce new funding arrangements for the (a) Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector and (b) Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.

John Hayes: The Skills Funding Agency is responsible for funding post-19 further education and skills training. This includes funding the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector and the Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
	The funding rates for these qualifications for the 2012/13 academic year will be confirmed by the end of March 2012.

Redundancy

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average length of negotiation for collective redundancies was in each year from 2000 to 2011.

Norman Lamb: The Government do not collate data on the duration of collective redundancy consultations. The recently conducted call for evidence on the collective redundancy rules sought to gather data on this issue. However, too few respondents provided information on this point to allow the Government to provide a reliable estimate.

Teachers: Training

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to announce further details of the bursary for initial teacher training in the further education sector.

John Hayes: Following the Department's announcement on 23 February 2012 of bursaries for initial teacher training in the further education sector, further details regarding the bursaries and the overall level of support available for the 2012/13 academic year will be confirmed by the end of March 2012.

Trade Descriptions Act 1968

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the annual consumer detriment caused by breaches of the Trades Descriptions Act 1968 in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Trade Descriptions Act 1968 was repealed in large part and replaced in 2008 by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (S.I.2008/1277).
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not carry out annual assessments of consumer detriment caused by breaches of the regulations which fall within its policy responsibilities. The Office of Fair Trading enforces the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and assesses the consumer benefit arising from some of this enforcement work where possible. It has also in the past conducted assessments of the overall detriment from consumer problems (these are not necessarily limited to those problems that would have been covered by the Trade Descriptions Act or are covered by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations). This was last carried out in 2008 and is available at:
	http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/consumer_ protection/oft992.pdf

Unfair Dismissal

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the evidential basis was for his decision to increase the qualification period for unfair dismissal from one to two years.

Norman Lamb: A full assessment of the impact of extending the qualifying period has been made and approved by the Regulatory Policy Committee. Copies of the “Government Response to the Consultation on Resolving Workplace Disputes” are available in the Libraries of the House.
	The aim of extending the qualifying period is to improve business confidence in recruiting staff and to give more time to get the working relationship right. Responses to consultation and business organisation surveys indicate that the current qualifying period for unfair dismissal can adversely affect business confidence to hire and retain staff.
	We also estimate that the change will bring about a reduction of around 2,000 employment tribunal claims per year, which will save business £4.7 million per year.

TRANSPORT

A64

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on the eligibility of the A64 for (a) the Regional Growth Fund, (b) the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and (c) any other transport infrastructure fund; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: None, beyond those which the hon. Member herself has made.

Blue Badge Scheme: Fraud

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many convictions there were for the misuse of disabled persons' Blue Badges in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to curb the misuse of disabled persons' Blue Badges;
	(3)  how many incidents of forged Blue Badge disability passes were notified to her Department in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: The Blue Badge scheme is administered and enforced by local authorities. Through the use of an annual survey, the Department for Transport asks local authorities for information on misuse of badges and the number of prosecutions. However, we do not receive sufficient data to produce a robust national estimate. We publish, instead, the figures received at local authority level. These can be found at
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/dis0301.xls
	The Department does not collect information on forged Blue Badges. The National Fraud Authority has estimated that Blue Badge fraud currently costs £46 million per year. The Department has recently implemented major reforms to the Blue Badge scheme to tackle rising levels of fraud and abuse. This has included introducing from 1 January 2012, a new badge design that is harder to forge and to alter, and a new Blue Badge Improvement Service. The service is establishing a central data store of badges to enable quicker and easier on-street enforcement checks, as well as other improvements. We have also amended regulations to ensure those most in need are issued with badges and to increase local authorities' powers in terms of refusing to issue badges and to withdraw them in cases where badges are being misused. Further information on the reforms can be found on the Department's website at
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/access/blue-badge/reform-of-the-blue-badge-scheme/

Departmental Public Expenditure

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much private sector capital her Department's programmes for infrastructure investment have attracted since May 2010.

Norman Baker: Since May 2010 local authority transport contracts supported by the Department utilising private finance have been awarded with a total capital value of £854.3 million.
	Further contracts which will involve private sector investment are currently in procurement. These have a total capital value of over £7 billion.
	In addition, in December 2010, the Department sold a 30-year concession for the operation and maintenance of High Speed 1 for £2 billion.

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress her Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

Michael Penning: Within the ‘Road Transport’ Red Tape Challenge theme:
	DFT has considered 533 regulations, of which 376 were judged to be still live.
	Of these 376, the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), announced plans on 15 December 2011, Official Report, columns 132-33WS, to scrap or improve 142 regulations—breakdown as follows:
	
		
			  Keep as is Improve Scrap Move (1) 
			 Number 226 84 58 8 
			 Percentage 60.1 22.3 15.4 2.1 
			 (1) Moved regulations predominantly relate to another theme, and will be resolved in a different part of the Red Tape Challenge. 
		
	
	An implementation plan has been developed and the Department has to date implemented improvements under the challenge to the following regulations:
	Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000
	Goods Vehicles (Community Authorisations) Regulations 1992
	Goods Vehicles (Community Authorisations) (Modification of the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act 1972) Regulations 2002
	Public Service Vehicle Operators (Qualifications) Regulations 1990
	Public Service Vehicle Operators (Qualifications) Regulations 1999
	Road Transport (Passenger Vehicles Cabotage) Regulations 1999
	Public Service Vehicles (Community Licences) Regulations 1999
	Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Regulations 1995
	Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) Regulations 1996
	Goods Vehicle Operators (Qualifications) Regulations 1999
	Workplace Parking Levy (England) Regulations 2009
	Passenger Car (Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions Information) Regulations 2001.
	The last two in this list involved improved implementation without changes to the regulations themselves.
	Some 400 regulations are being considered under the ‘Rail and Maritime theme’ which was put in the public spotlight in November/December 2011. Analysis of proposals is being undertaken and an announcement will be made in due course.
	The ‘Aviation theme’ is due to go live on the Red Tape Challenge website in June.

Driving: Licensing

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) take following identification of an MOT testing station as a poor performer; and what proportion of MOT testing stations inspected by VOSA have lost their licence in each of the last three years.

Michael Penning: VOSA identifies poor performing MOT testing stations through a transparent and proportionate disciplinary points system published in the MOT Testing Guide. VOSA cessate individual testers called Authorised Examiners (AEs) from carrying out MOT tests, not the test stations. AEs cessated in the last three years are 111 in 2008-09, 90 in 2009-10, and 89 in 2010-11 all after appeal.

Electric Vehicles: Safety

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what her policy is on measures to be fitted to electric, hybrid and other quiet vehicles to safeguard blind, partially sighted and vulnerable pedestrians and road users;
	(2)  what research her Department plans to carry out on the risks posed by electric, hybrid and other quiet vehicles to the safety of vulnerable pedestrians and other road users.

Norman Baker: holding answer 28 February 2012
	The Department for Transport undertook research into the risks posed by electric and hybrid electric vehicles to the safety of vulnerable pedestrians and other road users. The research found no evidence of a higher accident rate for these vehicles. Metered noise test results and a panel of visually impaired subjects did, however, find that these vehicles tended to be quieter than conventional vehicles at speeds below 12 mph and, as a consequence, their approach was harder to detect audibly at these speeds. The research report can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/assessingtheperceived safetyriskfromquietelectricandhybridvehicles/PPR525 assessingtheperceivedsafetyriskfromquietelectricand hybridvehicles.pdf
	A number of vehicle manufacturers are fitting or developing added sound for electric and hybrid vehicles to increase their audibility. The Department for Transport welcomes this precautionary action by vehicle manufacturers. The Department is engaged with international bodies developing standards for added sound. Such standards should, in particular:
	address the audibility of these vehicles at low speeds;
	ensure that systems enable effective identification of vehicle approach; and
	ensure that systems are acceptable in all vehicle markets while avoiding unnecessarily increasing public exposure to excess traffic noise.

Electric Vehicles: Safety

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the merits of requiring any noise-emitting devices fitted to electric, hybrid or quiet vehicles to be clearly recognisable and as distinctive as the sound of a vehicle;
	(2)  what her policy is on requiring that electric, hybrid and quiet vehicles deemed to be near silent to be regulated to generate a warning noise to indicate their presence to vulnerable pedestrians and road users;
	(3)  if she will introduce regulation to require that electric, hybrid and quiet vehicles are fitted with a warning noise to indicate their presence to vulnerable pedestrians and other road users.

Norman Baker: Although the Department's research found no evidence of a higher accident rate for electric and hybrid electric vehicles, the vehicles were found to be quieter than conventional vehicles, and harder to detect audibly, at speeds below 12 mph. A number of vehicle manufacturers are fitting or developing added sound systems to address this and the Government welcome this as a positive measure to assisting the road safety of vulnerable pedestrians, and other road users.
	The European Commission published in December 2011 a draft proposed regulation to tighten vehicle noise limits in order to reduce the adverse health impacts of road traffic noise. The proposal includes requirements for added sound systems on electric and hybrid electric vehicles where manufacturers fit them. These requirements are based on draft UNECE recommendations that address the audibility of these vehicles at low speeds and ensure they are effective at enabling identification of vehicle approach.
	During the completion of the Department's research, and in discussions, visually impaired stakeholders indicated a preference for added sound to be similar to that of conventional vehicles. The Department is currently engaged in discussions on the UNECE recommendations and will be seeking to ensure that such vehicles can be clearly heard and identified by the target audience in sufficient time and that use of bells, chimes, sirens, music or other sounds that
	“confuse the identification of a vehicle and/or its operation”
	be prohibited.

Government Car and Dispatch Agency

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many cars are (a) owned and (b) leased by the Government Car and Dispatch Agency;
	(2)  what proportion of cars (a) owned and (b) leased by the Government Car and Dispatch Agency are UK-manufactured.

Michael Penning: holding answer 27 February 2012
	There are 111 cars owned by the Government Car and Dispatch Agency and 19 cars are leased, giving a total car fleet of 130. The figures are for the total agency fleet, not just the ministerial fleet.
	At the end of March 2010 the total car fleet was 239.
	The proportion of cars owned by the Government Car and Despatch Agency which are UK manufactured = 38 (34.23%)
	The proportion of cars leased by the Government Car and Despatch Agency which are UK manufactured = 8 (42.1%)

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the (a) economic viability and (b) value for money of High Speed 2 of running trains on non-high speed track between Lichfield and North Cheshire.

Justine Greening: The initial phase of HS2 will include a direct connection close to Lichfield between the high speed line and the West Coast Main Line to enable through-running high speed trains to continue at conventional speeds to serve stations north of Birmingham. The benefits of reduced journey times and increased connectivity will support economic growth in the North West, and form an important part of the phase 1 business case.
	No decisions have been taken on the phase 2 route to Manchester and Leeds.

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the review by Transport for London on dangerous road junctions and the effect that the trial of longer lorries will have in London.

Michael Penning: I understand Transport for London (TfL) are currently undertaking a review of cycle safety at all junctions on Barclays Cycle Superhighways and major junctions on the TfL road network. Any decision regarding cycle safety in London would be for the Mayor and TfL to take forward.
	The research into the possible introduction of longer semi-trailers included the potential effects in urban environments.

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider introducing a mandatory requirement that any consultation her Department issues on the use of road space will have a specific question included on the effects the policy will have on the safety of cyclists.

Michael Penning: No. There are already mandatory Government-wide processes in place related to consultations about regulatory changes. Where such changes might affect the use of roads, it is routine to consider the safety effects for all categories of users.

Liverpool Port: Finance

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 26 January 2012, Official Report, column 26WS, on the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal, what funding for the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal will be subject to the rules on state aid; whether European Regional Development Fund funding will be taken into account when assessing funding against the rules on state aid; what steps she (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to obtain state aid clearance in order for her Department to lift its objection to turnaround operations at the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal; and when she plans to obtain such clearance.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport's objection to turnaround operations at the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal will be lifted if an appropriate repayment of UK Government grants is made.
	Lifting the restriction itself will be a matter for the Department for Communities and Local Government, and will require State Aid clearance. The Government will seek this clearance in the coming weeks. I understand that the European Commission will take into account European Regional Development Fund grants as well as other sources of funding in arriving at its decision.

Liverpool Port: Safety

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the potential effects on maritime safety of a turnaround cruise facility at Liverpool.

Michael Penning: The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (Peel Ports) is the harbour authority responsible for safety in this area. The provisions of the Port Marine Safety Code, merchant shipping regulations and the international conventions on ship safety are sufficient to assure the safety in port areas of ships and other port users.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 1 February 2012, Official Report, columns 72-4WS, on garage customer experience, what discussions she has had with the industry on using the Motor Codes scheme to improve customer experience.

Michael Penning: I have frequent meetings with the motor industry on a wide range of issues.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average frequency of Vehicle and Operator Services Agency inspections of MOT testing stations was in the latest period for which figures are available; and what assessment she has made of trends in the frequency of such inspections over the last five years.

Michael Penning: In 2007 VOSA moved to a targeted risk-based enforcement process. In 2007-08 all MOT test stations were visited to assess their potential risk of non-compliance. MOT test stations rated as high and medium risk were programmed for a site assessment visit every 18 months and the low risk MOT test stations every three years. In 2010-11 VOSA completed 9,440 site assessments (approximately 50% of MOT test stations). Assessment of the previous three years' data suggests that the balance of frequency versus the risk to the public was justified for each of the segments.

Older People

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of her Department's expenditure was spent on services for the elderly in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: The Department does not record or report expenditure based on age groups, it is therefore not possible to determine what proportion of expenditure is spent on services for the elderly.

Railways: North West

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect Transpennine electrification has had on the business case for the Northern Hub.

Theresa Villiers: Network Rail is carrying out further development work on each element of the Northern Hub package. As part of this work it will carry out an assessment of the impact of electrification. This work has yet to be completed but Network Rail will report in time for a decision on Northern Hub to be made by July 2012 as part of the High Level Output Specification.

Railways: North West

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will ensure that the outputs of the Northern Hub scheme are fully delivered in Control Period 5.

Theresa Villiers: The extent to which the Northern Hub outputs will be delivered in Control Period 5 will be dependent on value for money assessment and affordability.

Railways: Theft

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) replacing stolen cables from railways, (b) compensating train operating companies for delays due to cable theft and (c) repairing damage due to cable theft to railways in each of the last 10 years.

Norman Baker: Complete records of costs due to cable theft are available for the last three years and are as follows: £10,931,350, £12,132,860, and £11,618,472 respectively for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12(1). The breakdown of these costs into the components requested is not available.
	(1) These data are up to and including 4 February 2012 (Period 11).

Rescue Services

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the potential savings to the public purse of planned changes to the Marine and Coastguard Agency.

Michael Penning: A full assessment was made of potential savings as part of the comprehensive spending review. A summary of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's planned budget is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Resource budget (net of income) 
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Programme (this includes search and rescue helicopter current contract costs but excludes provision for the future contract) 106.9 113.8 90.2 77.0 
			 Admin 12.9 11.9 11.0 10.3 
			 Total 119.8 125.7 101.2 87.3 
			 Capital 9.3 9.5 9.7 9.9

Rescue Services

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any existing Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centres will be closed prior to the proposed new configuration being tested.

Michael Penning: The sequence and provisional closure dates for the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCCs) which will close are outlined in the document "Blueprint for Future Coastguard Organisation in the UK"; this document supported my statement to the House on 22 November 2011. A copy of this document is available in the Libraries of the House.
	The closure of the MRCCs at Clyde and Yarmouth are driven by external factors outside the control of the Coastguard Modernisation Programme. These factors are included in the sequence and provisional closure dates outlined above.
	The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is a minor occupier at both these sites where tenancy agreements are coming to an end and are not being extended by their respective landlords.
	Therefore these MRCCs will close in advance of the new 'National Network' being fully operational.
	In order to ensure that we maintain at least the same quality of Search and Rescue service as at present interim arrangements will use our current systems and pairing arrangements. These measures will be appropriately resourced and robustly tested prior to the closure of the MRCCs.
	Where it is within the control of the MCA the dates and sequence of closure will be driven by operational requirements during the implementation of the programme and, as such, are subject to ongoing review.

Road Signs and Markings

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the average cost of installing a brown tourist sign on the Highways Agency maintained road network.

Michael Penning: All new traffic signs on the Highways Agency maintained road network, including brown signs, must be erected in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 (TSRGD).
	No calculation of the average costs to provide brown tourist signs has been made, as the costs can vary depending on site specific circumstances. The agency are, however, developing a cost schedule for installation of brown signs to ensure all quotes are consistently provided and there is transparency in how they are built up.

CABINET OFFICE

Action for Employment

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each such contract.

Francis Maude: holding answer 27 February 2012
	As part of my Department's transparency programme, details of contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder:
	http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk

Hospitals: Death

Andy Burnham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many NHS patients died of starvation in NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many NHS patients died of starvation in NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years.
	Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires any condition that contributed directly to a death to be recorded on the death certificate. Starvation, or ‘effects of hunger', would not appear as the primary underlying cause of death, as the primary cause field in such cases is used to indicate the mode of death (e.g. lack of food, neglect, suicide). Deaths with a cause of starvation are therefore identified by the appearance of ICD-10 code T73 (effects of hunger) in the secondary cause field.
	Table 1 provides the number of deaths where the effect of hunger was a secondary cause of death, where the death occurred in an NHS hospital in England and Wales between 2001 and 2010 (the latest year available).
	Death certificates record the place where a person dies, but do not tell us anything about the length of a person's stay in a particular establishment. Where a person died in an NHS hospital due to starvation, it is likely that they were admitted to hospital already suffering from starvation rather than due to a lack of food following admission.
	
		
			 Table 1. Number of deaths where the secondary cause of death was ‘effects of hunger’, NHS hospitals, England and Wales, 2001-10 
			  Deaths 
			 2001 1 
			 2003 1 
			 2004 2 
			 2005 3 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 2 
			 2008 6 
			 2009 2 
			 2010 4 
			 Notes: 1. Cause of death from starvation was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code T73 (effects of hunger), where this code appeared as the secondary cause. 2. Figures include deaths of non-residents. 3. Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Mesothelioma: Death

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died of mesothelioma, in each primary care trust in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people died of mesothelioma, broken down by PCT in each of the past five years.
	Table 1 provides the number of deaths registered where the underlying cause of death was mesothelioma, for each Primary Care Organisation in England between 2006 and 2010 (the latest year available).
	A copy of Table 1 has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes regular reports on mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease incidence and mortality, which include information on estimates of the future burden of deaths caused by mesothelioma in Great Britain. Further information is available at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/asbestos.htm

HOME DEPARTMENT

Action for Employment

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contracts with her Department and its agencies A4e (a) is bidding for and (b) has been awarded but have not yet commenced either independently or in partnership with other companies.

Damian Green: Within the Home Office including its Executive agencies, A4e is bidding for one contract. The outcome of that procurement process will be made known in due course once completed. A4e has not been awarded any contracts either independently or in partnership with other companies which have not yet commenced.

Animal Experiments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts have been awarded under the Development Collaborative Business Project portal for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit; on what dates these contracts were awarded; and what the duration is of each contract.

Damian Green: The Collaborative Business Portal was originally procured in January 2003 and a contractual agreement was put in place at this time.
	Under the normal contract renewal cycle, the contract for the Collaborative Business Portal is currently undergoing a retender exercise. The Home Office has taken this opportunity to carry out a strategic review of its needs with regard to information exchange and security and will put in place appropriate tools to deliver a range of information exchange services using approved procurement processes. The requirements for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit application process are included in this. The Collaborative Business Portal is a business critical tool. Therefore, in order to allow time for the review to be completed and to ensure continuity of service, an interim extension to Fincore's service contract was agreed in December 2011. This will expire on 31 December 2012.

Animal Experiments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget was allocated to the Development Collaborative Business Project portal for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.

Damian Green: The budget for the development work on the Collaborative Business Portal to facilitate the Animals in Science Regulation Unit application process is £130,000. A further £42,000 has been allocated to this project for data transfer.

Animal Experiments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many contracts have been awarded under the Development Collaborative Business Project portal for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit for sums below the procurement threshold of (a) £101,323 and (b) £156,442;
	(2)  how many contracts have been awarded to Fincore Ltd under the Development Collaborative Business Project portal for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit; and how many other bidders met the minimum bidding criteria for these contracts.

Damian Green: No specific contracts have been awarded for the development work on the Collaborative Business Portal for Animals in Science Regulation Unit as an existing contract has been re-used.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Birmingham

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders issued by (a) Billesley, (b) Bournville, (c) Brandwood and (d) Selly Oak local government wards in Birmingham were breached in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011;
	(2)  how many antisocial behaviour orders were imposed on people with addresses in (a) Billesley, (b) Bournville, (c) Brandwood and (d) Selly Oak local government wards in Birmingham in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011.

James Brokenshire: Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are issued by courts. Data on the number of ASBOs issued and the number proven in court to have been breached are compiled by the Ministry of Justice. These centrally collected data do not, however, identify the areas in which ASBO recipients reside and are not collated below Criminal Justice System (CJS) area level.

Asylum

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legacy asylum cases were (a) under consideration and (b) resolved by the UK Border Agency in 2011.

Damian Green: As stated in the House of Commons oral evidence taken before the Home Affairs Committee, work of the UK Border Agency Tuesday 20 December 2011, during 2011 (a) 23,000 cases were under consideration and (b) 7,700 were resolved. Of this figure 4,500 have been granted leave to remain in the UK, 700 have been removed and 2,500 have been resolved through data cleansing, consisting of incorrect and duplicate computer records.

British Nationality

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 91W, on British nationality, on how many occasions section 40 of the British Nationality Act 1981 has been used to revoke British citizenship since 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: holding answer 21 February 2012
	Since the start of 2009 deprivation of British citizenship orders have been issued against a total of 13 individuals.
	In 2011 orders were issued against six individuals.
	In 2010 orders were issued against five individuals.
	In 2009 orders were issued against two individuals.
	This information has been provided from local management information and is not a National Statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

British Nationality: Terrorism

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British citizens have had their citizenship revoked as a result of being convicted of (a) treason and (b) acts of terrorism in the last 10 years.

Damian Green: holding answer 26 January 2012
	In the last 10 years, 15 people have been deprived of their British citizenship on the grounds that it was ‘conducive to the public good’ to do so (the relevant legal test for deprivation action).
	The British Nationality Act 1981 was amended in 2006 to the legal test set out above, and statements were made to Parliament at the time explaining that the power would be available for use in cases including those involving national security and extremism.
	For reasons of confidentiality, the Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases and so it is not appropriate to indicate how many individuals have been deprived for the specific reasons set out in the question.
	This information has been provided from local management information and is not a National Statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.

Broker Direct

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Ministers in her Department have had recent meetings with members of the (a) board and (b) senior management of (i) Broker Direct and (ii) Zurich UK.

Damian Green: holding answer 23 January 2012
	Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Demonstrations: Parliament Square

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many complaints about the encampment in Parliament square her Department has received in each month since September 2011; from whom; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will ask the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis to prepare a report for her Department on the encampment in Parliament square; how many persons have been (a) arrested and (b) prosecuted for any offences connected with the encampment in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions she has had since September 2011 with the Mayor of London on removal of (a) tents and (b) other objects located on the pavements of Parliament square; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has received two complaints about the encampment in Parliament square from members of the public since September 2011.
	Ministers have not had discussions with the Mayor of London about the encampments and other objects on the pavements of Parliament square. However, the Minister for Crime and Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire), has met with the Deputy Mayor for Policing to discuss this issue. Home Office officials have also met with the Greater London Authority and other relevant agencies to discuss the implementation of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility (PRSR) Act.
	The Metropolitan Police Service reports that two people were arrested on 16 January 2012 for the offence of failing to comply with the requirements of the PRSR Act 2011. One person was summonsed for the same offence. One person was arrested for a public order offence.
	The tents and other structures on Parliament square have denied access to a historically important public space which everyone has the right to enjoy. Parliament took action through the PRSR Act 2011 to allow the tents to be cleared away and to open the square for all to use—including those who wish to demonstrate peacefully. My Department has engaged extensively with the Greater London Authority, Westminster city council and the Metropolitan police with regards to the encampment in Parliament square. Operational decisions to clear the square were a matter for the relevant agencies.

Demonstrations: Parliament Square

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will instruct the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis to report on the police operation of 16 January 2012 in Parliament square; how much that operation cost; how many police officers were involved; how many arrests were made; how many (a) males and (b) females have been charged, and for what offences following that operation; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what information the Metropolitan police had when planning the police operation in Parliament square on 16 January 2012 on potential court injunctions protecting individuals involved in demonstrations in Parliament square; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what the cost of the policing operation in Parliament square has been since 16 January 2012; what estimate she has made of the costs of the operation in the next six months; if she will request a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the (a) length of time that the operation will continue and (b) number of police officers currently involved in the operation by rank; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The permanent camp on Parliament square denied access to a historically important public space which everyone has the right to enjoy. Parliament took action, through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, to allow the tents to be cleared away and to open the square for all to use—including those who wish to demonstrate peacefully. The Metropolitan Police Service led an operation to enforce the Act provisions on 16 January 2012. Three people were arrested. The tents and storage equipment belonging to one protestor were not removed due to a High Court injunction that is in place, pending a Judicial Review hearing. The detail of this operation, the decision to enforce the Act provisions and the resources involved are operational matters for the Metropolitan Police Service, which will continue to uphold the law as part of its normal duties.

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress her Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

Damian Green: Following the Red Tape Challenge the Home Office will consult on proposals to decentralise or simplify the regulatory requirements of the Licensing Act 2003 for late-night refreshment, temporary event notices and certain businesses with minimal alcohol sales such as bed and breakfast establishments. Changes will be subject to the outcomes of the consultation and parliamentary approval.
	The Home Office is reconstituting the Poisons Board, an advisory body established in statute, which will make recommendations for specific legislation for products affected by the Poisons Act 1972. The Home Office is on track to deliver universal portability of Criminal Records Bureau checks with an immediate checking service for employers via an online facility available from early 2013.

Deportation: Tamils

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review her policy of enforcing removals to Sri Lanka following reports that Tamils have been detained and tortured after removal from the UK.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency has considered recent reports and at present has no substantiated evidence of mistreatment by the Sri Lankan authorities of enforced returnees from the UK.
	The UK Border Agency's returns policy to Sri Lanka is kept constantly under review and decisions are taken in the light of prevailing circumstances. Returns are only enforced when it is safe to do so and when the agency and the courts are satisfied that the individual has no international protection needs.

Domestic Violence

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department provided for domestic violence reduction programmes in each of the last three years.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office has provided funding for specialist services to support victims of domestic violence over the past three years. Stable funding for domestic violence has been committed until 2015.
	The amount for each year is as follows:
	2009-10: over £6 million
	2010-11: over £6.9 million
	2011-12: over £6 million
	For the financial years 2009-10, a proportion of the funding identified may have also covered sexual violence.

EU Justice and Home Affairs Council

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the Government (a) requested and (b) was requested to provide information about groups posing a threat to law and order and security pursuant to EU Joint Action 97/339/JHA in each of the last five years.

Nick Herbert: The Government do not collect this information centrally.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal working civil penalties were (a) levied and (b) paid in 2011; and what the levels were of the penalties levied.

Damian Green: From January to September 2011, the latest date of publication of the UK Border Agency statistics, a total of 1,111 illegal working civil penalties were levied. In the same period a total of £5.1 million was collected. The £5.1 million collected does not relate directly to the penalties issued in 2011, as some of the payments will relate to penalties issued in previous years.
	The following table provides a breakdown of the levels of penalties issued between January and September 2011. The original value of penalties issued will be subject to change as penalties may be reduced, increased, cancelled or reissued after consideration of any statutory objection and/or an appeal.
	
		
			 Level of penalty issued Number of penalties at each level 
			 £5,000 or less 641 
			 £5,001 to £10,000 294 
			 £10,001 to £15,000 99 
			 £15,001 to £20,000 40 
			 £20,001 to £25,000 15 
			 £25,001 to £30,000 9 
			 £30,001 to £35,000 3 
			 £35,001 to £40,000 2 
			 £40,001 to £45,000 3 
			 £45,001 to £55,000 1 
			 £55,001 to £65,000 1 
			 £65,001 to £75,000 0 
			 £75,001 to £85,000 1 
			 £85,001 to £95,000 1 
			 £95,001 to £149,999 0 
			 £150,000 1 
			 Total 111 
		
	
	The data provided in the reply are sourced from a UK Border Agency management information system which is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

Immigrants: Detainees

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 168W, on immigrants detainees, if the UK Border Agency is still seeking to deport the 36 former detainees who were released.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is seeking to deport 35 out of the 36 former detainees who were released during the period June to December 2011. We are unable to pursue deportation for one former detainee because they do not meet the deportation criteria.
	This information is taken from Internal Management Information and is subject to change.

Immigrants: Detainees

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 168W, on immigrants: detainees, 
	(1)  what were the criminal convictions held by those 36 former detainees who were released; and for what length of time those detainees released had been held in an immigration removal centre;
	(2)  who authorised the release of the 36 former detainees.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 January 2012
	The criminal convictions of the 36 detainees released between June and December 2011 and the length of time held in an immigration removal centre is outlined in the following tables:
	
		
			 Offence Number 
			 Burglary (aggravated/breaking and entering) 1 
			 Theft 2 
			 Crimes against a minor (all other not listed) 2 
			 Drug offences 4 
			 Motoring Offences other 2 
			 Motoring Offences serious 2 
			 Possession of a false Instrument 13 
			 Seeking/Obtaining Leave by Deception 1 
			 Rape 1 
			 Sex Offences not Listed Elsewhere 2 
			 Robbery (including street) 2 
			 Offences Against the Person (assault) 2 
			 Violent Crime (inc ABH/GBH) 2 
			 Grand total 36 
		
	
	
		
			 Length in IS detention in years Number 
			 2 to 3 years 9 
			 3 to 4 years 19 
			 4 years and over 8 
			 Grand total 36 
		
	
	Of the 36 detainees released from an immigration removal centre, only four were released by the UK Border Agency. An immigration judge authorised the release of the other detainees.
	This information is taken from Internal Management Information and is subject to change.

Immigration

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each country entered the UK under the Tier 1 (a) entrepreneur and (b) investor sub-category in 2011.

Damian Green: The requested information is not yet available.
	Data relating to persons entering the UK under the Tier 1-Entrepreneur and Tier 1-Investor schemes, by nationality, are published annually in table ‘ad.03.w’ of the Home Office statistical release ‘Immigration Statistics’. The latest published data relate to the calendar year 2010 and are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/scienceresearchstatistics/researchstatistics/immigrationasylumresearch/immigrationq4-2011/
	Data for the calendar year 2011 are due for publication in August 2012.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the UK Border Agency took a month to inform the hon. Member for Walsall North that written authorisation was required in case reference S1153849 and CTS ref M494/12.

Damian Green: Correspondence submitted by Members of Parliament to the UK Border Agency is dealt with in target date order. The Cabinet Office target is to respond to 95% of letters from MPs within 20 working days. The response issued under M494/12 was completed on the specified target date of 10 February.

Police and Crime Commissioner

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people attended the police and crime commissioner roadshow in (a) Lancaster, (b) Crewe, (c) Birmingham, (d) Leicester, (e) Derby, (f) Portsmouth, (g) Reading, (h) London, (i) Ipswich, (j) Cambridge and (k) Leeds.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office is holding 17 events for the range of partners that Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will need to engage with including senior representatives of local authorities, police, police authorities and Criminal Justice partners. The events aim to help partners prepare for the introduction of PCCs in November 2012. Some 1,000 senior representatives have attended the 11 events held to date.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals serving prison sentences in England and Wales are subject to deportation orders at the end of their sentences; and what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of their imprisonment in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: holding answer 19 January 2012
	As of 9 January 2012, there are 5,178 foreign national offenders currently serving a custodial sentence in England and Wales, who are being considered for deportation at the end of their custodial sentence.
	The cost of detaining an individual in prison is £102 per night.
	Figures are based on internal management information and are subject to change.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the foreign nationals serving prison sentences in England and Wales and subject to deportation orders were convicted of (a) terrorist offences, (b) murder, (c) manslaughter, (d) rape and (e) grievous bodily harm.

Damian Green: holding answer 19 January 2012
	The following table sets out the number of foreign national offenders currently serving a prison sentence in England and Wales who are being considered for deportation by the UK Border Agency, broken down by the offences requested.
	
		
			 Primary offence Number of individuals currently serving a sentence and being considered for deportation 
			 Attempted Murder 76 
			 Attempted Rape (Adult or Minor) 32 
			 Manslaughter 63 
			 Murder 625 
			 Rape 422 
			 Rape on a Minor 104 
			 Terrorist Offences 7 
			 Violent Crime (inc ABH/GBH) 403 
		
	
	Figures are based on internal management information and are subject to change.

Stalking

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many responses she has had to the consultation issued by her Department on stalking; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 27 February 2012
	We received a total of 156 responses to the consultation, including from victims and their families, stalking charities, the police, criminal justice professionals and members of the public.

Youth Custody

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of the disparity between the definition of a child in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the rules governing whether 17 year olds can be strip searched without an adult being present.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 28 February 2012
	None.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Cala Homes: Legal Aid Scheme

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much expenditure his Department has incurred, including external legal advice and costs, on legal proceedings relating to Cala Homes since May 2010. [R]

Bob Neill: holding answer 23 February 2012
	All litigation cases against the Department are managed by the Treasury Solicitors Department under a service level agreement.
	Our records show that there are five cases in which Cala Homes (South) Ltd are party to proceedings against the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The total cost of the cases from 7 May 2010 to 31 January 2012 is around £309,000. The matter of costs in some of these proceedings is yet to be settled.
	As I have outlined in previous answers to the right hon. Member, this Administration is spending less on legal expenses than the last Administration. The departmental spend on external services from 7 May 2010 to 31 March 2011 was £2,260,000 and from 1 April 2011 to 31 January 2012 was £1,679,000, compared to £4,800,000 in 2009-10.

Community Relations

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when details of the additional funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages provision for adults not in or actively seeking employment, as referred to in his publication ‘Creating the conditions for integration’, will be notified to those institutions that are to receive the additional funding.

Andrew Stunell: The Department for Communities and Local Government has offered up to £10 million to support English language provision for those adults with little or no English, and who are not seeking employment, as set out in ‘Creating the conditions for integration’.
	I would refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made on 29 February 2012, Official Report, column 31WS , by the Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr Hayes), entitled English for Speakers of Other Languages.

Council Tax Benefits

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress he has made in formulating policy on council tax benefit localisation; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Government have consulted on the approach to localising support for council tax and published their response to the issues raised in December. The Local Government Finance Bill currently before the House will deliver the framework for local authorities to put in place local council tax support schemes from April 2013. In addition, a design tool to assist local authorities in modelling their schemes has been developed, and is being published today on the Department's website on the Localising Council Tax Support webpage at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/local governmentfinance/counciltax/

Councillors: Pensions

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on local authority pension schemes for local councillors.

Bob Neill: My Department does not hold information on which local authorities have chosen to grant their councillors access to the Local Government Pension Scheme under powers provided to them in 2002.
	However, I would draw the attention of the hon. Member to a recent report by the Taxpayers' Alliance which has undertaken some research into this issue:
	http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/home/2012/01/research-1-5-council-tax-council-pensions.html

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government achieved a 17.7% reduction in carbon emissions as part of the Prime Minister's 10% Carbon Reduction Commitment.
	This equates to a reduction of 3,851 tonnes of CO2.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: As part of the spending review settlement, the DCLG Group is making a collective 33% real terms saving against its running costs by 2014-15. This equates to savings of over £200 million by 2014-15. In addition, the Department will save a further £190 million from the closure of the Government offices for the regions, taking overall savings on administrative running costs to 42% across the DCLG Group by 2014-15.
	These savings reflect the coalition Government's agenda of decentralisation, ending the micromanagement of local government, the abolition of regional government, and the broader need to tackle the deficit left by the last Administration.
	This has entailed a streamlining of the Department; that restructuring was undertaken in an open, fair and prompt way, starting at the highest levels of senior management. A total of 46 senior civil servants have left the Department for Communities and Local Government in the period 1 May 2010 to 31 January 2011.
	The breakdown of these individuals by month is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of senior civil servants leaving in month 
			 2010  
			 May 0 
			 June 1 
			 July 2 
			 August 0 
			 September 0 
			 October 0 
			 November 2 
			 December 0 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 2 
			 February 7 
			 March 0 
			 April 7 
			 May 2 
			 June 6 
			 July 1 
			 August 9 
			 September 0 
			 October 0 
			 November 6 
			 December 0 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 1 
		
	
	Please note in addition to the 46 senior civil servants who left the Department for Communities and Local Government in the reference period, an additional 20 senior civil servants employed by the Department, but based in the Government Office for the regions, left the Government office for the regions directly or the Department after subsequently transferring in. They have not been included in the 46 figure above.
	For reasons of personal privacy, it would not be appropriate to provide the names of senior civil servants who are no longer in government employment.
	The turnover rate of senior civil servants in the Department for Communities and Local Government in this period has been calculated at 43.4%.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold the information requested for its public bodies centrally.

Fire Services

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the support available for employers of on-call retained firefighters.

Bob Neill: Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to discuss a range of matters.
	Fire and rescue authorities are responsible for engagement with local employers. My Department has produced the Retained Duty System Employers' Information Toolkit to support fire and rescue authorities in engaging with local employers in raising awareness about the duty system, and encouraging their support to release staff to become retained duty firefighters. The Department has also produced the Recognition Scheme for Primary Employers of Retained Duty System (On-Call) Firefighters, to recognise employers who have agreed to make staff available for retained duty system service.

First-Time Buyers: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many first-time buyers in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley participated in part-buy part-rent housing schemes in each of the last five years.

Grant Shapps: This information is collected only in respect of sales by private registered providers and is not available for other organisations such as local authorities or developers.
	Information on the sales of social housing made by the private registered providers is collected via the Continuous Recording (CORE) Sales log. Information is collected on the type of product through which the property was sold. Shared ownership products—where the purchaser owns a share of the property and pays rent on the remainder—are normally offered to people who are first-time buyers.
	The following table gives the number of private registered provider sales through shared ownership schemes over the past five years in the London borough of Bexley:
	
		
			  Number of shared ownership sales 
			 2006-07 46 
			 2007-08 79 
			 2008-09 95 
			 2009-10 21 
			 2010-11 24 
			 Source: CORE sales log. Prior to 2010-11 CORE was only completed by private registered providers with more than 250 units of stock. 
		
	
	Figures are not available at constituency level.
	More generally and in addition to shared ownership homes, our FirstBuy equity loan scheme will help almost 10,500 aspiring home owners by spring 2013. Government and 100 house builders are providing £400 million to help first-time buyers buy a new build property in England, with a 20% equity loan which reduces the deposit needed to just 5%.

Housing: Energy

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to encourage developers to design more energy efficient homes;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to promote energy efficiency in (a) new housing, (b) existing housing and (c) houses of multiple occupancy.

Andrew Stunell: The Carbon Plan, published in December 2011, sets out what the Government are doing to ensure that housing makes its full contribution to meeting the first four carbon budgets and the 2050 carbon reduction target. This includes:
	(a) a commitment that all new homes constructed to the 2016 Building Regulations in England must meet a ‘zero carbon’ standard, which will include a specific fabric energy efficiency standard. Proposals to introduce this energy efficiency target for new housing from 2013 were published on 31 January 2012. Local authorities can already use the Code for Sustainable Homes if they wish to secure higher levels of energy efficiency in new homes in their area. The Government require that all new social housing funded by the Homes and Community Agency is built to Code level 3.
	(b) The launch of the Green Deal in late 2012 to help existing homes of all tenures to improve their energy efficiency at no upfront cost, to be paid for instead through the resulting fuel cost savings, via a charge on fuel bills. This will be supported by a range of measures to stimulate demand for the Green Deal in all tenures, including proposals to use the Building Regulations to trigger a requirement for additional energy efficiency improvements where specified works are planned and Green Deal finance is available as an option to cover the upfront cost to householders.
	(c) Government will work with the private rented sector (including houses in multiple occupation) to encourage uptake of energy efficiency measures through the Green Deal. From 2016 private landlords will not be able to unreasonably refuse their tenants' requests for consent to energy efficiency improvements. The Energy Act 2011 contains provisions for a minimum energy efficiency standard for private rented housing from 2018. Use of these regulation making powers is conditional on there being no net or up-front costs to landlords. If these powers were used, landlords would be required to reach the minimum standard or carry out the maximum package of measures fundable under the Green Deal and energy company obligation.

Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of private homes in England which are in urgent need of home repairs for reasons of (a) crime prevention and (b) electrical or gas safety; and what assessment he has made of the effect that changes in his Department's financial settlement to local government have had on the ability of local authorities to make payments to householders in respect of such repairs.

Andrew Stunell: holding answer 29 February 2012
	The English Housing Survey estimated that in 2009 21% of all dwellings in England had a serious ‘Category 1’ hazard, under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. For privately owned dwellings the figure was 22.8%, or 4.2 million homes. Category 1 hazards include a risk of entry by intruders, and risks related to gas and electrical safety, along with other risks such as excess cold.
	It is for local authorities to decide the circumstances in which to give discretionary assistance to householders, what form that assistance may take (e.g. grants, loans, equity release schemes etc.) and what, if any, conditions to attach. Local authorities also have powers, under the Housing Act 2004, to assess the risks and hazards in residential properties using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. If a property is found to contain serious (Category 1) hazards, the local authority has a duty to take the most appropriate action. This could range from trying to deal with the problems informally at first to prohibiting the use of the whole or part of the dwelling.
	In 2010-11, The Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix showed that 48,600 private sector dwellings with Housing Health and Safety Rating System Category 1 hazards were made free from hazards as a result of action by local authorities. That action could include financial assistance, advice, and enforcement action.
	I would add that my Department is providing £1.6 billion of funding over the spending review period to help councils ensure council housing meets the Decent Homes standard.

Legal Aid Scheme

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on external legal advice since May 2010. [R]

Bob Neill: holding answer 23 February 2012
	The departmental spend on external legal services (which is broader than spending on legal advice) from 7 May 2010 to 31 March 2011 was £2,260,000 and from 1 April 2011 to 31 January 2012 was £1,679,000. This spending includes litigation fees paid to the Treasury Solicitors Department, counsel and solicitors’ fees for legal advice, and payments to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel.
	As I have indicated in previous answers to the right hon. Member, the comparable spend in 2009-10 was £4.8 million. I also refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 483W, which outlines the number of open cases open at any one time and the nature of Government litigation, reflecting the Department's quasi-judicial functions.
	Details of all expenditure over £500 are published, each month, on the Department's website. Legal advice is coded under ‘Legal Consultancy’ and ‘Legal Fees’:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/transparency ingovernment/spenddata/

Local Government: Disability

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with representatives of local authorities on the statutory responsibilities of those authorities in respect of equal access to services by people with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The Government recognise the importance of ensuring equal access to services for people with learning disabilities and encourages their involvement in service planning and design.
	Under the Public Sector Equality Duty, councils are required to understand how different people will be affected by their services, so those services meet the needs of their communities. It is up to individual authorities to decide how to do this. The Best Value Duty requires local authorities to consult(1) representatives of a wide range of local persons, including those who use or are likely to use services provided by the authority.
	My officials have had discussions with a wide range of external partners, including representatives of local authorities to consider how the provision of Changing Places toilets might be improved on a voluntary basis. These toilets provide extra facilities for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
	(1) The duty to consult is contained in section 3(2) of the Local Government Act 1999.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Government Procurement Card

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Burton of 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 483W, on freedom of information, whether his Department holds receipts or invoices associated with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Government Procurement Card transactions in respect of Mr Chu's China Palace restaurant.

Bob Neill: The available records for the transaction made in 2006 have been placed in the Library of the House. It has not been possible to identify records relating to the transaction made in 2004. Certain details, including details of other transactions, names of members of staff below the senior civil service, and card and account numbers have been redacted for reasons of personal data protection and safeguarding security.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Government Procurement Card

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2011, Official Report, column 483W, on freedom of information, whether his Department still holds any receipts or invoices associated with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Government Procurement Card transactions at (a) Star City Pty Ltd for £456.03, (b) Doyles Seafood Quay for £457.94 and £37.46 and (c) Sydney Aquarium for £74.63.

Bob Neill: It has not been possible to identify from departmental archives the individual receipts or invoices still held relating to these transactions.
	However, as the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my noble Friend, Baroness Hanham, remarked on 17 January 2012, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA122, Ministers in this Administration are of the view that such transactions—which are all associated with the visit of Lord Prescott when Deputy Prime Minister—did not represent value for money for the taxpayer.

HEALTH

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

Simon Burns: To date, of over 1,200 regulations considered so far under Red Tape Challenge, the Government have agreed to scrap or substantially overhaul well over 50%.
	The Red Tape Challenge reforms made, or about to be made, so far across all Departments are set out in the Government's latest Statement of New Regulation published on 28 February 2012. Many further changes will be announced and implemented in the coming months.

Diabetes: Leicester

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with diabetes in Leicester primary care trust area did not receive the nine healthcare checks recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines in 2011.

Paul Burstow: The full data set requested is not available. Participation in the National Diabetes Audit (NDA), which audits diabetes registrations in primary and secondary care, is not mandatory. The following table is drawn from the 2009-10 NDA dataset and shows the total number of registrations and the number of registrations where all nine care processes recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have not taken, place, for Leicestershire primary care trusts (PCTs) and nationally:
	
		
			   Total registrations where all nine care processes have not been completed 
			 PCT Total registrations in national diabetes audit Number Percentage 
			 Leicester City PCT 19,094 8,543 31 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 26,032 10,028 28 
			 National 1,929,985 962,957 33

Diseases

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish a public consultation on the UK rare disease plan.

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the draft UK rare disease plan; and what the reason is for the time taken for its publication.

Simon Burns: The consultation on the UK Plan for Rare Diseases is being produced jointly by the four nations of the United Kingdom. It has been important for the document to accurately capture and reflect the subtle differences in the health care systems of each country. This has taken some time. However, the consultation was launched on 29 February 2012 for a 12 week public consultation.

Drugs: Delivery Services

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department monitors the number of emergency direct deliveries made by medicines manufacturers to pharmacies in England.

Simon Burns: The Department does not monitor the number of emergency deliveries made by medicine manufacturers to pharmacies.

Health Services: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Bexley were registered with (i) a GP and (ii) an NHS dentist in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: Figures for the number of patients registered with general practitioners (GPs) are not available by parliamentary constituency or London borough. The following table shows the number of patient registrations at GP practices in the Bexley primary care trust area in each of the five most recent years for which figures are available.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2006 223,474 
			 2007 222,019 
			 2008 223,043 
			 2009 227,177 
			 2010 227,944 
			 Source: NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care Genera and Personal Medical Services Statistics 
		
	
	The information for dental patient registrations is not available in the format requested. Under the current dental contractual arrangements, patients do not have to be registered with a national health service dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to ‘registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services (‘patients seen’) over a 24 month period.
	The following table shows the number of patients seen by an NHS dentist in Bexley primary care trust area in the five most recent 24-month periods for which figures are available.
	
		
			 24 month end date Patients seen 
			 31 December 2007 97,719 
			 31 December 2008 92,837 
			 31 December 2009 94,895 
			 31 December 2010 101,139 
			 31 December 2011 106,617 
			 Source: NHS Dental Statistics for England—2011-12

Health: Screening

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the participation of private providers in the delivery of the NHS Healthchecks programme.

Paul Burstow: Primary care trusts are responsible for commissioning the services necessary to deliver the NHS Health Check programme in a way that meets the needs of their local population. They will choose different providers to deliver the checks depending on the characteristics of their local population. No assessment has been made of the participation of private providers in the delivery of the NHS Health Check programme.

HIV Infection

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the role of private sector companies in identifying and supporting new ways to prevent and treat HIV in (a) the UK and (b) developing countries.

Paul Burstow: The Department welcomes the role that private and third sector organisations play in identifying and supporting new ways to prevent and treat HIV in the United Kingdom and developing countries. This includes welcoming the work of organisations like Gilead Sciences Ltd, and their Halve It coalition, which is working to reduce undiagnosed and late diagnosis of HIV.
	Internationally, the Government are supporting the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) to develop microbicides. The UK Government also supported the establishment of the Medicines Patent Pool through our contributions to UNITAID. This has the potential to support access to more appropriate and affordable anti-retrovirals (ARVs) in developing countries by setting incentives for product adaptation and generic production.
	The UK continues to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to engage actively with the Medicines Patent Pool to support the availability of ARVs in order to help achieve the internationally agreed target to increase coverage of life saving treatment to reach 15 million people with HIV by 2015.

HIV Infection

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the development of paediatric formulations to address unmet needs for children living with HIV in (a) the UK and (b) developing countries.

Paul Burstow: The Department has made no such assessments. In the United Kingdom, clinicians provide HIV paediatric treatment and care in line with European guidelines supported by the British Children's HIV Association.
	The choice of drugs is a clinical decision and depends on available formulations suitable for the individual child, taking into consideration age, developmental level and carer circumstances. It is up to manufacturers to decide to develop, paediatric formulations of medicines.
	The UK Government are supporting research on the delivery of antiretroviral therapy to children in Africa. In partnership with the private sector, this has included assessing the acceptability of different paediatric formulations of antiretroviral therapy.

Mesothelioma: Research

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been allocated to research on mesothelioma in the current spending cycle.

Simon Burns: No specific funding has been allocated for research into mesothelioma in the current spending review period. The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics; research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including mesothelioma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.
	The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) is currently hosting four studies in mesothelioma that are recruiting patients. Details can be found on the UK CRN portfolio database at:
	http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/Search/Portfolio.aspx?Level1= 1&Level2=8&Level3=27&Status=34
	The NIHR is currently working with the British Lung Foundation on building capacity for research into mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts prescribed the Tysabri form of the drug natalizumab between December 2009 and January 2012; and what quantity was prescribed by each such trust.

Simon Burns: Natalizumab (Tysabri) is licensed for use in patients with highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis despite treatment with interferon beta or those with rapidly evolving severe relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The British National Formulary states that treatment should be initiated and supervised by a specialist. Therefore, natalizumab is used mainly in secondary care.
	The latest information available from the Prescribing Analysis and CosT tool system indicates that. Tysabri has been prescribed once in primary care between October 2011 and December 2011, As there might be a data protection issue with releasing information where the drug has only been prescribed once, we have not named the primary care trust.

Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts prescribed the Fampyra form of the drug fampridine between October 2011 and January 2012; and what quantity was prescribed by each such trust.

Simon Burns: Fampridine (Fampyra) is licensed for use in multiple sclerosis to improve walking in patients who have a walking disability and treatment is usually initiated and supervised by a specialist doctor experienced in the management of multiple sclerosis. Therefore, fampridine is used mainly in secondary care.
	The latest information available from the Prescribing Analysis and CosT tool system indicates that fampridine has been prescribed once in primary care between October 2011 and December 2011. As there might be a data protection issue with releasing information where the drug has only been prescribed once, we have not named the primary care trust.

NHS: Drugs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will conduct an impact assessment of the financial effects of branded medicine shortages on medicines (a) pharmacy, (b) wholesale and (c) manufacturing businesses.

Simon Burns: While we have not conducted an impact assessment of the financial effects of branded medicine supply issues, recognition has been made in the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework funding for extra time that pharmacy staff spend sourcing medicines.

NHS: Drugs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has sought advice on the legal standing of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee list of medicines in short supply; and if he will publish any such advice.

Simon Burns: The joint best practice guidance refers to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee's (PSNC) Branded Shortages List. This published list ensures that all pharmacies and wholesalers are aware of the latest supply position. This list is a matter for the PSNC.

NHS: Drugs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the review and consolidation of medicines legislation in the UK will include measures to strengthen regulations governing the continuous supply of branded medicines to patients.

Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) project to consolidate and review medicines legislation brings together existing and complex medicines legislation, and takes the opportunity to rationalise the legislation to improve the coherence of the regulatory framework.
	The legislation consolidates the existing requirement for the maintenance of appropriate and continued supply of medicinal products by marketing authorisation holders and distributors so that the needs of patients are met. We have carried out a consultation (our ref MLX 375) which closed in January on a proposed text of the consolidation and are currently assessing the responses. We are not proposing any change in the area of continued supply of medicine under Article 81 of Directive 2001/83/EC and, to date, nothing has come up in our assessment of responses which indicates that a change is necessary.
	The Department, the MHRA and pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders are working collaboratively to better understand and mitigate the impact of supply difficulties to ensure that patients receive the medicines they need. In February 2011 the group published joint guidance, “Best Practice for Ensuring the Efficient Supply and Distribution of Medicines to Patients”.
	The guidance provides a sound basis for helping to ensure that patients get their medicines when they need them.

NHS: Drugs

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that drugs discovered and developed by British scientists are accessible by patients within the UK.

Simon Burns: The Government are committed to ensuring that national health service patients are able to access the clinically and cost-effective drugs that their doctors consider are appropriate for them.
	We also want to see more drugs and medical technologies developed in the United Kingdom for the benefit of UK patients.
	The Government's ‘Strategy for UK Life Sciences’ sets out how we will support closer collaboration between the NHS, industry and universities, driving growth in the economy and improvements in the NHS.
	We will ensure that the NHS realises its role as an engine for innovation by developing the package of proposals to support the adoption and diffusion of innovation set out in the NHS Chief Executive's review—‘Innovation, health and wealth, accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS’.
	We are also working to put in place a new framework for medicines pricing, to include value-based pricing for new medicines. Value-based pricing will give NHS patients better access to effective and innovative treatments, at a price that delivers value to the NHS. The new medicines pricing system will be introduced from January 2014, following the end of the 2009 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.

NHS: Drugs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) individuals and (b) businesses have faced legal, regulatory or professional sanctions for not abiding by his Department's Guidance on Best practice for ensuring the efficient supply and distribution of medicines to patients.

Simon Burns: The joint best practice guidance is not legally enforceable. However, the Department continues to work collaboratively with supply chain stakeholders to deal with implementation issues and to ensure that patients can continue to obtain their prescription medicines quickly and conveniently.

NHS: Repairs and Maintenance

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of maintenance backlogs was in the NHS in each financial year since 2006-07.

Simon Burns: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Total backlog maintenance (£ million) 
			 2006-07 3,740 
			 2007-08 4,044 
			 2008-09 4,085 
			 2009-10 4,096 
			 2010-11 4,166 
		
	
	Backlog maintenance is the amount of investment needed to bring the estate up to a satisfactory standard. It is reduced through either capital investment or the disposal of the estate.
	The Department collects data on backlog maintenance annually from the national health service trusts through its Estates Returns Information Collection. The data collected has not been amended centrally and its accuracy always remains the responsibility of the contributing NHS organisations.
	NHS organisations are locally responsible for the provision and maintenance of their facilities. This includes planning and investment to reduce backlog maintenance.

Organs: Donors

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the number of organ donors.

Simon Burns: Since the publication of the report by the Organ Donation Taskforce in 2008, a great deal of work has taken place to strengthen the donation programme and increase the number of organs available for patients. People may sign up to the Organ Donor Register when they register with a new general practitioner; when applying for a new passport; when applying for a European Health Insurance Card, a Boots advantage card or a driving licence. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) also publicises the need for more people to register as donors through public awareness campaigns, on their organ donation website and on their national helpline.
	There are now over 200 highly trained Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation based in hospitals across the country and NHSBT is continuing to train and recruit more staff into this vital role. Clinical Leads for Organ Donation have also been appointed in every acute hospital working closely with hospital Organ Donation Committees to increase donation rates.
	A Transitional Steering Group (TSG), chaired by Chris Rudge, has also been established to help maintain the momentum. The TSG will be focusing on the six big wins—optimising deceased donation rates through undertaking brainstem death testing and considering donation after cardiac death in all appropriate circumstances, increasing consent rates, increasing donation from emergency medicine, timely referral of donors and better donor management.

Organs: Donors

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the introduction of a system under which people would need to opt-out of being an organ donor.

Simon Burns: The Organ Donation Taskforce examined the case for moving to an opt-out system in 2008. They recommended against it, concluding that while such a system might have the potential to deliver benefits, it would present significant difficulties.
	Action is being taken to strengthen the donation programme and we are seeing significant improvement in donor rates. We need to give time for these improvements to be worked through fully and assess their success before looking to change the system further.

Pregnancy: Counselling

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the views and expertise of professional health bodies are gathered during its forthcoming consultation on pregnancy choices counselling;
	(2)  what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the views of women are gathered during its forthcoming public consultation on pregnancy choices counselling.

Paul Burstow: The forthcoming public consultation on pregnancy counselling will be open and anyone will be able to contribute. It will canvass views from a wide range of health professionals and the public, so that their responses can then inform the Government on future policy and any subsequent regulations on this issue.
	The public consultation will take place over a period of 12 weeks and a notice of commencement together with a closing date will be posted on the Department's web site.
	The views of professional health bodies are crucial and the Department will contact key external partners to obtain their views on this issue. We also welcome the views of women particularly those who have considered or undergone an abortion or considered this option.

Prescription Drugs

Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken by his Department to ensure that the demand for prescription medications is met.

Simon Burns: There are existing legal duties on manufacturers and distributors to ensure appropriate and continued supplies of medicines to pharmacies within the limits of their responsibilities, so that the needs of patients are met. The Department continues to work closely with supply chain stakeholders to ensure patients receive the medicines they need.

Streptococcus: Screening

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Northern Ireland on the compulsory screening of pregnant women for group B streptococcus in Northern Ireland;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to the compulsory screening of pregnant women for group B streptococcus.

Paul Burstow: Ministers in this Department have not had any direct discussion with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive regarding introducing a national screening programme for group B streptococcus (GBS) carriage in pregnancy in Northern Ireland.
	The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four United Kingdom countries about all aspects of screening policy, including screening policy for GBS carriage in pregnancy. The UK NSC is currently reviewing the evidence for screening for GBS carriage in pregnancy against its criteria. A public consultation on the screening review will open in spring 2012.

Transplant Surgery

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish an international conference of countries with high levels of organ transplantation to consider ways in which the number of organs available for transplantation can be increased.

Simon Burns: The Organ Donation Taskforce looked at successful donation programmes, particularly from Spain and the United States of America, in preparing its Report and recommendations in 2008. Drawing on this, implementation in the United Kingdom has focused on strengthening the donation infrastructure. In addition, the European Commission meets regularly with member states, including the UK, as part of a six year (2009-15) Action Plan to identify how the number of donated organs for transplant can be increased across the European Union looking at international evidence of success within and. outside the EU.

Transplant Surgery

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will consider re-establishing the Organ Donation Taskforce to consider how the implementation of its recommendations to increase availability of organ donation for transplantation can be built on;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure implementation of the recommendations of the Organ Donation Taskforce in increasing the availability of organs for transplantation.

Simon Burns: Since the publication of the Organ Donation Taskforce report in 2008, good progress has been made with donor rates having increased by some 31% and continuing to rise. In order to maintain progress, we have established a Transitional Steering Group (TSG), chaired by Chris Rudge, the former National Clinical Director for Transplantation. The TSG will support action up to 2013 at national, regional and local levels focusing work on increasing consent rates and optimising donation in all appropriate circumstances. A post 2013 plan is being developed by NHS Blood and Transplant to support the momentum for improvement and it is likely former Organ Donation Taskforce members will be asked to contribute to the development of the future work programme.

Transplant Surgery

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with transplant surgeons on the quality of organs available for transplant; and what plans he has to encourage more donations from people after brain death.

Simon Burns: It is for surgeons to make judgments about the suitability of donated organs for transplant. Guidance is available that sets out the risks and benefits of when an organ should be used. Ultimately, this is a decision for the clinician, the patient and their family.
	NHS Blood and Transplant are working to raise the profile of and improve the systems for organ donation within every hospital trust. In order to do this they have established a network of specialist nurses for organ donation who are based at hospitals throughout the country. They work closely with intensive care and emergency department staff to identify both brain death, and circulatory death potential donors, as well as supporting bereaved families through the organ donation process. Once the specialist nurse is informed of a potential organ donor they are responsible for giving information and support to the donors relatives during the donation process.